Abstract
Social Isolation of Older Adults in Long Term Care as a Result of COVID-19 Mitigation Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Highlights
In response to the threat of COVID-19, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued unprecedented restrictions severely limiting the liberty of older adults residing in long-term care
In response to the threat of COVID-19, CMS issued unprecedented restrictions severely limiting the liberty of older adults residing in long-term care
The ethical lines become blurred as the risk of harm secondary to isolation increased over the time that the restrictions remained in effect
Summary
COVID-19 highlighted two pervasive public health concerns confronting older adults—social isolation and loneliness. Forty-three percent of adults aged 60 and older report feeling lonely. Those living in long-term care report loneliness at a rate of at least double of community-dwelling older adults.[9]. Providing social support will directly benefit older adults and indirectly benefit society by reducing Medicare spending associated with the effects of social isolation. Many long-term care residents who depend on visits from family and friends to socialize increasingly felt lonely, abandoned, and despondent,[12] increasing the risk of feeling grief and loss, including individual and collective trauma reactions. Reduced physical activity creates long-term adverse health effects.[15]
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