Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Division of Internal Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Division of Hospital Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020 Dec;35(12):1437-1441. doi: 10.1002/gps.5389. Epub 2020 Aug 26.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused rapid and monumental changes around the world. Older people, who already experience higher rates of social isolation and loneliness, are more susceptible to adverse effects as a result of the social distancing protocols enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19. Based on prior outbreaks, we speculate the detrimental outcomes and offer solutions.
Reviewing the literature on the detrimental effects of social isolation and loneliness and higher mortality in the older population. Utilizing psychological study outcomes from prior major outbreaks such as in SARS, Ebola, H1N1 influenza, and Middle East respiratory syndrome offer predictions and the susceptibility in the geriatric age group.
Organizations such as the WHO, Centers for Disease Control, and American Association of Retired Persons have put measures in place to provide networking on a local, regional, and national level. These efforts are designed to start mitigating such detrimental effects. A necessary follow-up to this pandemic will be gathering data on unique populations such as the geriatric community, to better mitigate adverse outcomes given the certainty that COVID-19 will not be the last global viral outbreak.
The results of worsened social isolation and loneliness is associated with significantly increased morbidity and mortality in the geriatric population. Various solutions including virtual interactions with loved ones, engaging in physical activity, continuing any spiritual or religious prayers remotely, and community services to provide aid for the older population are all efforts to minimize social isolation and loneliness.
全球 COVID-19 大流行在全球范围内引发了迅速而巨大的变化。老年人已经经历了更高的社交隔离和孤独感，由于为减缓 COVID-19 传播而实施的社交距离协议，他们更容易受到不利影响。基于先前的疫情爆发，我们推测了有害后果并提出了解决方案。
回顾关于社交隔离和孤独感对老年人的更高死亡率的有害影响的文献。利用先前 SARS、埃博拉、H1N1 流感和中东呼吸综合征等重大疫情中的心理学研究结果，对老年人群体的易感性进行预测。
世界卫生组织（WHO）、疾病控制与预防中心（Centers for Disease Control）和美国退休人员协会（American Association of Retired Persons）等组织已采取措施，在地方、地区和国家各级提供网络联系。这些努力旨在开始减轻这些不利影响。此次大流行的一个必要后续行动是收集有关独特人群（如老年社区）的数据，以便更好地减轻不良后果，因为 COVID-19 肯定不会是最后一次全球病毒爆发。
社交隔离和孤独感的加剧与老年人的发病率和死亡率显著增加有关。各种解决方案包括与亲人进行虚拟互动、进行身体活动、远程继续进行任何精神或宗教祈祷、以及为老年人提供社区服务以提供援助，都是减轻社交隔离和孤独感的努力。
