Encouraging the elderly population to remain at home has played a crucial role in the battle against Covid-19.
A study by Irish researchers delving into the effects of the pandemic on individuals over the age of 70 revealed that 40% of participants experienced a decline in their mental health due to cocooning.
Advising the older generation to stay at home has been a key strategy in the fight against Covid-19, aiming to minimize the spread of the virus.
Experts from Trinity College Dublin and St James’s Hospital studied changes in physical and mental well-being, access to healthcare services, and attitudes towards Covid-19 among individuals aged 70 and older who did not contract the virus.
The results indicated that nearly 40% of respondents reported a deterioration in their mental health since the onset of cocooning, with 57% feeling lonely during this period.
Participants who lived alone were almost twice as likely to experience feelings of loneliness. Over 40% noted a decline in their physical health since cocooning, and one in five admitted to not leaving their homes at all since the recommendation to cocoon.
Despite this, more than 60% agreed with the government’s cocooning advice, while 25% disagreed.
The study findings were recently featured in the January 2021 edition of the Quarterly Journal of Medicine (QJM).
Dr. Robert Briggs, a Medical Gerontology expert at Trinity College and Consultant Geriatrician at St James’s Hospital in Dublin, who was the senior author of the study, emphasized the potential secondary effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on older individuals.
“While cocooning is crucial in preventing older individuals from falling ill with Covid-19, we must also address the possible negative impacts on their health that may arise from cocooning,” Dr. Briggs stated.
“With the possibility of further waves of Covid-19 and ongoing restrictions despite vaccine distribution, it is essential to establish clear policies and guidance for older individuals on maintaining social connections, combating loneliness, and staying physically active,” he added.
The research was conducted between October and December 2020.
QJM; https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcab015.