Older adults in affordable housing are at risk for mental health problems, physical vulnerability, and isolation. We examine the role of an activities program in buffering the influence of life stressors on the mental health of seniors in congregate housing, using a non-experimental pretest–posttest study design. Results based upon repeated measures analyses (N = 29), found statistically significant (p < .05) program by time effects for depression, coping strategies, positive affect, isolation, and resident satisfaction. Analyses based upon independent samples of pretest and posttest measures (N = 60) were considerably less strong, but consistent in yielding similar patterns to those of the longitudinally gathered data. Our longitudinal findings substantiate the positive impact of the Engage with Age program in supporting older adults living in congregate housing. Researchers need to develop strategies to assess and support the mental health of older persons in low-income urban congregate living in the larger context of COVID-19.

经济适用房中的老年人面临心理健康问题、身体脆弱性和孤立的风险。我们使用非实验性的前测-后测研究设计，研究了活动计划在缓冲生活压力源对集体住房中老年人心理健康的影响方面的作用。结果基于重复测量分析 ( N = 29)，发现抑郁症、应对策略、积极影响、孤立和居民满意度的时间效应具有统计学意义 ( p < .05)。基于前测和后测测量的独立样本的分析（N= 60）的强度要小得多，但在产生与纵向收集的数据相似的模式方面是一致的。我们的纵向研究结果证实了 Engage with Age 计划在支持住在集体住房中的老年人方面的积极影响。研究人员需要制定战略，以评估和支持生活在 COVID-19 大背景下的低收入城市社区老年人的心理健康。