Covid-19 pandemic resulted in increased loneliness and depression in older people
Some 4,000 people took part in Tilda study, which found the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on older people. Picture: PA
Loneliness, depression, delayed access to medical care and the loss of a loved one are among the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country's older population.
Researchers working on the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda) have detailed the effects of the pandemic and the associated restrictions, based on data from more than 4,000 study participants aged 60 or over.
We are looking forward to sharing findings our latest #COVID_19 report, launched by Minister @FrankFeighan Speakers include Principal Investigator of @tilda_tcd Prof. @RoseAnnekenny1 and Senior Research Fellow, Dr @MarkWard__. More Details.👇@irishgerontsoc @tcddublin @TCDTMI https://t.co/a6W2vHY9n3
— TILDA (@tilda_tcd) January 28, 2021
It highlighted the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the lives of older people and their mental and physical wellbeing.
The prevalence of Covid-19 among participants was 5%, and was three times higher among adults aged 60-to-69 years compared to those over 70. It also found that between July and November last year, one in 20 (5%) adults aged 60 and over had lost a family member or friend due to coronavirus.
Compliance with Government public health advice was high among participants, with 80% of the over-60s reporting adherence to advice on social distancing measures and engaging in protective behaviours, while 62% of participants reported not travelling to visit family members and 80% not visiting friends at all since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Those measures did not mitigate against some of the other effects of the pandemic, however. Almost-one quarter (22%) of older people did not meet minimum recommended levels of physical activity during the pandemic, although 27% said they walked more often than they had prior to the pandemic and 17% also exercised more often at home than they did previously.
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Almost a third (30%) of older adults felt lonely at least some of the time and 21% of adults aged 60 and over reported potentially clinically meaningful levels of depressive symptoms.
"Worryingly, this is double the prevalence of depression seen before the pandemic," the report said.
In addition, 29% of respondents reported high stress levels and 11% had moderate-to-severe anxiety levels, another significant increase from before the pandemic.
In addition, almost one third (30%) of adults aged 60 and over delayed or did not get medical care they needed, including dental and GP appointments.
Those most concerned about the pandemic live alone, are aged 70 and over, are female and are more likely to live in rural areas. Many are also carers for a family member.
Professor Rose Anne Kenny, principal investigator at Tilda said:
"Tilda’s report gives a thorough and accurate account of the scale of this impact on older adults living in Ireland to support Government and health authorities to see and address the negative impacts of the crisis."
