key: cord-0722171-wopsfrqg
authors: Mukhtar, Sonia
title: Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults
date: 2020-07-22
journal: Curr Med Res Pract
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmrp.2020.07.016
sha: ca9a5a4f69146e174ba6f70ddc3363b3c91794f7
doc_id: 722171
cord_uid: wopsfrqg

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Insufficient and inadequate attention has been paid to the mental health of older age group in terms of timely and quality psychological crisis intervention.

Social isolation, social distancing, social disconnectedness, and loneliness were found to be mediated with depression and anxiety in a similar study. 3 Self-perceived social disconnectedness and perceived isolation predicted higher depressive and anxiety symptoms. 2 Brief evidence-based psychological preventive public health interventions could be established and implemented within residential environment, healthcare facilities, nursing centers, religious and cultural organizations, social and community centers for older adults. 4 Action-based psychological preventive public health strategies could cultivate social connection and promote healthy relationships with own-self and others. Cognitive skills and social support networks could help older adults to foster meaningful connection and sense of belongingness during isolation period. Cognitive, behavioral, social, positive and brief therapies delivered online or inperson could enhance mental wellbeing, improve social affiliation and support while simultaneously diminishing perceived loneliness. 2, 4 Social isolation and social disconnection -a documented bidirectional and complex relationship between mental health issues and social disconnectedness -itself poses a serious public health concern among older adults especially due to the psychosocial reasons and physiological health problems such as mental health problems, cardiovascular, autoimmune, neurocognitive, neurobiological, and other at-risk health problems. Pakistan's government should take concrete instructions for elderly people socially isolated at home or quarantined at healthcare facilities (hospital, clinic, isolation unit, daycare, community center, and place of worship) to have prescribed diet and medications and communicate about the meaning of social in-contact to mitigate their physical and mental health consequences. 2, 3 However, adherence to social isolation strategies could be weakened with time and such well-timed reinforced implementing preventive measures would efficiently prevent the aggravated morbidity of COVID-19 related to affective mental health problems in older adults.

No funding received.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic in daily life

S Mukhtar Mental Health and Emotional Impact of COVID-19: Applying Health Belief Model for Medical Staff to General Public of Pakistan Brain Behav Immun

S Mukhtar Mental Health of Medical Workers in Pakistan during the Pandemic COVID-19

S Mukhtar Mental Health and Psychosocial Aspects of Coronavirus Outbreak in Pakistan: Psychological Intervention for Public Mental Health

My gratitude goes to my elderly friends for sharing information about their current situations.

The author declares no conflicts of interest.