Emotional and Financial Wellness Reconstructed While Transitioning through Covid-19 by Australian Families

Abstract

Purpose: This paper explored how Australian families managed themselves to survive the emotional and financial turmoil unleashed on the country by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: The aftermath effect of the pandemic is still fresh in the lives of many.  Therefore, knowing how some managed to overcome the impact on their emotional and financial wellness  will provide important lessons for others to consider. The study used a qualitative approach (interviews) to investigate how 12 families in Melbourne survived the two wellness scopes. Results: The data revealed that social programmers and interventions in the community such as playing games, watching movies and doing things together  under lockdown were some of the ways certain families used to reconstruct their emotional wellness. Conclusion: Thus far, recommendations made by the families regarding financial wellness included: increase savings, cutting down expenses, job change, supplement income, and budget for children. The critical finding of this study revealed that the support structure provided by families has a major effect on how the families reconstructed and maintained their wellness during the pandemic. This study will contribute to the growing research on the COVID-19 pandemic, by exploring its influence (COVID-19) on family wellness, as well as contribute to the awareness and understanding of pandemics and their effect on family wellness. The study is also expected to contribute both locally and globally in shaping strategies and policies to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic in relation to wellness and ensure that family life is restored and preserved immediately afterwards.