PSYC 343 AMU Facing COVID19 Challenges Discussion

For this discussion discussion, imagine you are 85 years old faced with one of the following circumstances: Living in NYC on/near the date of September 11, 2001 (September 11th Terror Attacks), living in New Orleans on/near the date of August 28, 2005 (Hurricane Katrina), or living alone during the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine. In any of these cases, you are a frail elder who doesn’t own a car. What special challenges would you have faced on those days? You only need to select one circumstance, but can choose more than one if you wish.NOTE: A frail elder is a senior adult in poor health typically with co-morbidity, such as two or more diagnosed conditions, with low mobility, and poor health habits that either helped cause or resulted from the elder’s health status. Not all, but many, frail elders live at or below the poverty line. Include this information in developing your answer.

Also, respond to the following peers:

Classmate #1:

Hey Everyone,

The scenario I decided to discuss was an 85 year old who is living alone during the Covid-19 outbreak and quarantine. One thing I’ve noticed the elderly do is keep the new channel on their televisions. And the news is constantly putting out the latest updates on local and national news. With the constant overload about Covid-19 its effects and the “new normal” could cause anxiety. Anxious thoughts about having a weaker immune system and higher chance of contracting the virus. Coupled with worry on if the vaccine is effective and when they’ll gain access to it, if they decide too. 

The stay at home order can cause feelings of isolation from he inability to see loved ones. Overcome with sadness of seeing loved ones die from the virus. I also believe people can die of a broken heart. Human interaction is necessary and scientifically proven to uplift ones spirit. Loneliness also heightens the potential for increased inflammatory responses of the body, potentially leading to decreased immunity, concentration, and waves of anxiety and depression, and insomnia. Depression, age, and dementia are major risk factors of suicide in the elderly (Brown et al., 2020)

Lastly another concern they face are thoughts around having enough food. Amongst fear of going into the grocery store altogether. While door dash and Instacart have become a popular and easy access for millennials it is not so much the case for the elderly. 

Ways to combat the harsh realities covid-19 can bring would be to engage in safe socialization activities. Having a loved one help them work social media to do video calls or share photos of family can warm their hearts. I know many elderly live in residences where they hold community events for the residents. These type of events even if its two or three people can help those who haven’t been interacting with anyone. Providing a sense of comfort to know they are not navigating these uncertain times alone. 

Reference:

Brown, E. E., Kumar, S., Rajji, T. K., Pollock, B. G., & Mulsant, B. H. (2020). 

Classmate #2:

Hi everyone, 

While all three of these scenarios are terrifying, seeing them through the eyes of a frail elderly person intensifies the sense of helplessness. I believe that the COVID-19 scenario would be the most challenging due to the isolation, duration, and lack of societal preparation for an event of this scale. When restaurants closed or it was too dangerous or impossible to go out, the power of technology was on full display by allowing people to order food for delivery. In terms of the workforce, it was especially eye-opening to see how many companies had been using telework to keep their employees employed and their businesses operational. These examples of societal adaptability in the face of COVID-19 are inspiring, but what about the toll it took on the elderly and especially the frail?The difference is that the frail senior population is disproportionately affected by poverty and poor health. Technology has stepped up to help society run, but what about the elderly who are either unfamiliar with or unable to buy modern technologies? Face-to-face communication with loved ones, caregivers, and others is crucial for many elderly people. When there is a lockdown or quarantine, those relationships are disconnected, further increasing the isolation and underservicing of the elderly who are already struggling. Many of the people I know who helped their elderly parents by checking in on them frequently, giving them food and medication, etc., suddenly found that doing so put their own health at risk.  What about regular medical attention, though? Because frail elderly people often have several health conditions, for which they see doctors on a regular basis, the healthcare system has recently been overwhelmed and forced to reorganize its priorities. This only added to their confusion and isolation, unless they had friends or family members who were able to assist them in adapting to the new ways of life and in using the technologies that allowed them to have telehealth appointments or to use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. The duration of the epidemic was another key element that intensified the difficulties faced by the elderly population. At its peak, it was difficult, but the prolonged stress has been especially hard on the elderly.