Older people suffered increased anxiety and depression due to Covid, data will show 

Prof Rose Anne Kenny, director of Ageing Research at TCD. File photo.

New data to be published later this month will show that anxiety and depression levels among older people increased due to Covid-19 and the first lockdown.

Those behind the study also said there needed to be an increased focus on the health and wellbeing of the country's older population as another extended period of lockdown appears likely, with fresh calls for a minimum daily intake of vitamin D to increase responsiveness to any vaccine and guard against the worst effects of the coronavirus.

The latest results from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda) at Trinity College Dublin involves input from about 4,000 older people, with responses received last autumn. Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Tilda principal investigator and lead researcher and president of the Irish Gerontological Society, said it would highlight the impact of the first wave of the pandemic.

"Preliminary data does show that depression and anxiety have increased between pre- and post-[Covid first wave] and that people who have health issues [not related to Covid-19] have not presented to medical attention with those issues because of fears of Covid or concern that healthcare professionals might be too busy," Prof Kenny said.

We also know that particularly during the first lockdown ... people were much less inclined to go out into the fresh air and be active because of the whole fear element associated with it, with what was then a much more unknown entity."

Prof Kenny said physical activity needed to be encouraged, particularly in times of public health restrictions, saying that in addition to the usual benefits, there was data that showed it increased a person's responsiveness to a vaccine.

Self-isolating at home for long periods has severely decreased interactions with family and friends for older adults, and impacted every aspect of their lives. Read TILDA's mini report on levels of agreement among older adults with 'cocooning' policy: https://t.co/18z2CwSLhU pic.twitter.com/TLWka4mrRF

— TILDA (@tilda_tcd) December 28, 2020

She said another aspect of this is the need to boost vitamin D levels in people here, particularly in older age groups, with England and Scotland now providing free vitamin D supplements to their older populations.

Prof Kenny said emerging international research indicated that vitamin D levels of 50 nanomoles per litre of blood (nmol-L) could modify the severity of the response to Covid-19 and she and others working in the gerontology field believed there was a strong case for people to take 800 international units (IU) of such a supplement on a daily basis.

With another lengthy lockdown looming, Prof Kenny said the new data would show that older people in the sample were seriously worried about the possibility of contracting Covid-19 and about the social isolation that often came with restrictions in the first lockdown.

She said there had been a more positive discussion about the role and value of older people in society since the pandemic began, when she said there was a focus on age and comorbidity.

The benefits of #VitaminD supplementation has long been declared by health experts. But what has has been the uptake of vitamin D supplements for older adults during the #COVID19 pandemic? Read our latest mini report: https://t.co/k5fZvLsEQ4

— TILDA (@tilda_tcd) December 27, 2020

"There is something inappropriate and almost demeaning to make an assumption that once someone has reached a certain age – in this case, 70 – that we can afford as a society to do without them," she said, referring to the restrictions in the first wave of the pandemic here. 

"I find that incredibly unsettling and undermining of my self-esteem and value. 

Tilda data has shown the converse is the case – from volunteering through to grandparenting, the contribution they [older people] have made is critical, yet there is that sort of ageist approach, that they are disposable."

She said the current situation was "very serious" in terms of the prevalence of the new variant and that it was essential to be cautious over the next four to eight weeks as vaccination is rolled out, particularly for susceptible groups and to healthcare workers.

She said more was needed to assist older people in the community and in nursing homes, who were a particularly vulnerable group and a sector that needed greater resources.