Doubly Vulnerable: Older People Are Already Prone To Chronic Loneliness, What Happens To That Population In Midst Of Social Isolation?
The elderly are getting hit hardest by the coronavirus and public health experts are recommending they avoid large crowds and other social gatherings. But for a group that already struggles with loneliness -- which can lead to poor health outcomes -- social distancing due to coronavirus will likely exacerbate the issue. Meanwhile, health officials and medical providers are having a difficult time convincing older Americans to take the threat seriously.
Vox:
How Social Distancing For Coronavirus Could Cause A Loneliness Epidemic
Deborah Johnson Lanholm, 63, lives in Sicklerville, New Jersey. A retired nurse, she’s the primary caretaker for her older sister, Helen Palese, who lives with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. “She’s nonverbal,” Deborah says. “I do her speaking for her. So every other day, we do something together. We go to the movies. I take her to my crocheting group. We go out to dinner or the mall. But she’s with other people. All of that will have to stop because she’s too compromised.” And it won’t just stop for Helen. It’ll stop for Deborah, too. “I’ll have to change my routine because I have to care for her,” Deborah says. “I won’t go out in crowds or be in places where I’ll be exposed.” (Klein, 3/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Means Fear And Isolation For Many Asian American Seniors
On church days, Willy Chang, 72, is skipping service, including steering clear of his usual after-service lunch spot, and is definitely not stopping at his neighborhood market in Alhambra for Asian pear and hot pot ingredients. Larry Dinh, 68, is spending fewer and fewer weekends at the packed Buddhist temple in Santa Ana where he and his friends have worshiped for decades. And Susie Hong, 66, is starting to mind her kids’ advice to avoid the pingpong tables at a popular senior center in Monterey Park. (Do, 3/12)
The Washington Post:
Nursing Homes And Senior-Living Facilities Struggle To Control The Spread Of The Novel Coronavirus
Half a mile from the nursing home where the coronavirus first ran rampant here, the Gardens at Juanita Bay senior home received troubling news this week. A resident had tested positive for the virus. Managers urged residents on Monday to stay in their rooms. Meals would be delivered. On Tuesday morning a pipe-smoking resident rolled his motorized wheelchair down one of the compound’s paved, tree-shaded paths. He said he did not believe covid-19 was there, and that restrictions were ”overblown.” (Greene and Sacchetti, 3/12)
ABC News:
'I'm Scared': How Coronavirus Is Delivering A Double Blow For Older Americans
As the novel coronavirus sickens thousands and clobbers financial markets, some older adults -- the most at-risk group -- feel they're taking a double hit amid the pandemic as they also watch their retirement savings plunge. Barb Winsor, 64, a lung cancer survivor from Bridgeport, Connecticut, said she'd planned a trip to London for her daughter's birthday this week, but canceled it last minute on the advice of her doctor. (Thorbecke, 3/13)
The Washington Post:
Many Older Americans Are Playing Down The Coronavirus Threat While Others Opt For Safety
At her home in The Villages, a sprawling central Florida retirement community that overlaps three counties, Alicia Przybylowicz still greets neighbors with a big smile and an outstretched hand. “I’m a hand-shaker. I think I will always be a hand-shaker and a hugger,” the 64-year-old said. Worries about the coronavirus aren’t going to stop that. “It seems that it’s been blown out of proportion.” Not far away, at a house in the same community, Judy Nieman, 66, said that attitude is alarming. “We don’t know how this is going to spread in this community,” she said. “We’re all older here. This place is full of people who go on cruises all the time. They go on safaris. And I don’t see them curtailing their activities as much as I would.” (Fears and Dennis, 3/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus: Questions Linger At Senior Facility Where Woman Died
Two days after the new coronavirus killed a patient at a Northern California assisted living home, some families of residents there are alarmed about the welfare of their loved ones and angry about a lack of information from the facility and local officials. Several relatives of the 143 residents at the facility told The Times on Thursday they still hadn’t been informed of the death, were receiving scant details and feared the assisted living center was not taking simple precautions to prevent their relatives from becoming seriously ill. (Chabria, 3/12)
