Whatever your feeling on masks and vaccines, as you look around you see more and more people out and about. Perhaps you do more now than you did early in the pandemic, perhaps not. Many people, particularly seniors remain rightfully concerned.
Pandemic has Hit Seniors Hard
Older adults especially suffer impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. They experience a higher risk of serious illness if infected and account for 80 percent of all Covid related deaths. Many seniors lost friends and relatives to the disease. Older adults necessarily limit in-person socialization. As a result they experience more isolation and loneliness.
According to the Washington Post, millions of older Americans confront physical, emotional and cognitive challenges following nearly two years of staying inside, stopping usual activities and seeing few, if any, people. They feel less fit. They feel less able to cope. Many fear encountering a problem. They hesitate getting out among people even if fully vaccinated. They wonder, “What if something happens?” “Maybe I shouldn’t do that.” “Am I taking a needless chance?”
Will We Ever Get Back to Normal?
Seniors also wonder when or if they can return to their regular (pre-Covid) routine. With so much changed, they have likely adopted a whole new routine. Worldwide millions of people have died and hundreds of 200 millions have contracted the disease. Things are different. Businesses have closed. Places of worship have changed their hours. Medical providers have new rules about appointments and non patients (like care-givers or drivers) in their offices. Fear of what they could encounter keeps many seniors frozen.
Tech Leaves Many Seniors Behind
Technology has taken a leap and by-passed many seniors. Ericsson Social Research onducted a study in 8 countries around the world. They disccovered that 46 % of seniors who use the internet the least fall even further behind when new technology becomes available. In addition seniors worry more than others about using the internet during this unique period. Their worries include hackers, online fraud and online disinformation.
Seniors Losing Mobility
According to Ericsson half of the seniors across all countries surveyed feared a lack of mobility. Being mobile means both the ability to walk around in and outside where they live, but also being able to drive a car, manage to take the bus or other vehicles to get to places in or around their location. “ Now we see that many of these seniors have already experienced restrictions of mobility. A majority of those seniors who drive a private car, use public transport, ride a bike or moped, take a taxi or even share taxi rides, said they are using these forms of transport much less now compared to before the crisis.” These seniors even walk less than before. As many as 4 in 10 said they walk less now, during the crisis.
Pandemic Stress Growing not Receding
Lastly a great concern is the unknown. Even when fully vaccinated they still fear being around friends and younger family members. According the Kaiser Foundation, in May 2021 one out of three seniors suffer anxiety or about the pandemic. By July 2021, that number increased to one out of two. Each time hospitalizations increase or a new variant arrives, seniors must question their safety.
Covid Pandemic Info
Seniors need to base decisions on accurate information. The Centers for Disease Control is the finest public health agency in the world and keeps current information available about the pandemic.
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