The COVID-19 pandemic, decreed by the World Health Organisation on 11th March 2020, has had a dramatic impact on the health of the population, especially the elderly people. Lockdowns and mobility restrictions became a necessary measure to stop the spread of the virus and resulted in a drastic sudden change in everyone’s lifestyle and a great influence on the diet, exercise, social activities, and mental health.
The elderly are more vulnerable to social problems, isolation, loneliness, and are more likely to become functionally dependent on the support of the family and community services. With a team of Primary Health Care clinicians, we have decided to study the effect of the pandemic on the physical activity, cognition, and emotional state of 92 pre-fragile patients older than 70 years of age.
Having a look at the results, being infected with COVID was directly related to a cognition detriment of 54%, together with neurologic effects. The influence of being overweight and the perception of having gained weight during the pandemic also predicted a worsening of the physical function, increasing by 24%, and the sedentary lifestyle by 28% after the pandemic.
Interestingly, the elderly have increased their relationship with technology, by using smartphones, video calls, or messaging apps to communicate with their loved ones. Also, together with an increase in the amount of time spent exercising the memory, and doing handcraft activities it has reinforced the idea that establishing a daily routine of sleeping habits, activities, cognition training, and keeping in touch with family makes it easier to overcome a negative experience such as a restricted lockdown for a long period.
We have found that the emotional state has not been affected by any of the studied variables, being only influenced by their previous state before the pandemic. Some studies have shown that the emotional detriment has been greater in the younger population. Older people usually develop strengths through a whole life of experiences and that resilience makes them more able to adopt proactive actions to deal with highly stressful situations. In addition, family and social support have proven to protect that strength and make sense of life.
In conclusion, the lockdown does not necessarily mean social isolation, making technology an essential tool to promote social affection and support. The health services must promote the physical and mental function of older adults. The lockdown has not had an impact on the physical function, mental health, or quality of life of people older than 70 years old that have had access to technology. Thus, it is important to take the time to teach them to use it, since it can be beneficial for their well-being.
David Morales Tejera
Ph.D. student at the VUB and Rey Juan Carlos University. Professor at the CEU San Pablo University and Rey Juan Carlos University.
2022 Pain in Motion
References and further reading:
Hwang TJ, Rabheru K, Peisah C, Reichman W, Ikeda M. Loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int Psychogeriatr. 2020;32(10):1217-1220. doi:10.1017/S1041610220000988
Ammar A et al. Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Eating Behaviour and Physical Activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey. Nutrients. 2020 May 28;12(6):1583. doi: 10.3390/nu12061583. PMID: 32481594; PMCID: PMC7352706.
Conroy KM, Krishnan S, Mittelstaedt S, Patel SS. Technological advancements to address elderly loneliness: Practical considerations and community resilience implications for COVID-19 pandemic. Work Older People. 2020;24(4):257-264. doi:10.1108/wwop-07-2020-0036
Ammar A et al. Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Eating Behaviour and Physical Activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey. Nutrients. 2020 May 28;12(6):1583. doi: 10.3390/nu12061583. PMID: 32481594; PMCID: PMC7352706.