Ageing and Health: Lessons from COVID 19 

Fri, 21 May 2021, 15:00 – 16:30 BST

“The older population has been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. Older adults are at a considerably higher risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19 and of dying from the disease. Several countries have reported that 50% or more of their COVID-19 related deaths have occurred in care and nursing homes, raising questions about how long-term care facilities could have better protected their residents. Many older people also face specific challenges related to the societal response to the pandemic. Lockdowns and social distancing requirements may make it more difficult for older people to get the care that they need. Older people living on their own may be at particularly high risk of social isolation and loneliness and the associated detrimental effects on physical and mental health due to lockdown policies. People living with dementia likely face a higher risk of contracting the disease as well as suffering from social distancing and visitors’ bans, as their cognitive impairments may prevent them from understanding and following infection control guidelines or to understand why they are not seeing their loved ones.

This session is dedicated to examining the different ways in which older people have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the appropriate legal and political avenues for addressing the issues faced by older people.”

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