Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity (2022) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: COVID-19 and Older Adults
Appendix B: COVID-19 and Older Adults
Pages 239-252
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From page 239... ...
. Whether in the community or in long-term care facilities, public health care measures -- including proactive screening for symptoms common in older people and adherence to personal protective measures, such as mask-wearing, physical distancing, and handwashing -- can protect older people (CDC, 2021a)
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From page 240... ...
FACTORS DRIVING EXCESS MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY Biological and Physiological Factors Older adults respond to viruses including COVID-19 differently from younger adults. These differences are complicated by the presence of chronic diseases and progressive changes in the immune system.
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From page 241... ...
. In COVID-19, this response is reflected in a dramatic accumulation of inflammation-related fluid in the lungs, impairing lung function and potentially leading to tissue damage, shock, respiratory failure, and death.
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From page 242... ...
. The GHS Index report, released in 2021, also points to the need for metrics with a greater emphasis on inequalities; the role of community-based factors and civil society; the effects of globalization; centralized versus fragmented governance; uncoordinated funding; and political factors, especially the importance of political leaders embracing science-based advice (GHS, 2021)
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From page 243... ...
. Dramatic increases in the use of telemedicine services ameliorated some gaps in care by enabling people to access health care services in the comfort of their home instead of risking exposure to the virus in health care facilities (CDC, 2021d)
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From page 244... ...
The adverse experiences of longterm care facilities with COVID-19 will likely have generated increased interest and investment in hospital-based extended care units, home-based care, and other community-based care models. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS In addition to the impacts on life expectancy and morbidity resulting directly from COVID-19, the pandemic had negative social and behavioral impacts on older adults in several areas discussed in this report, including ageism, isolation and loneliness, the digital divide, as well as intergenerational impacts.
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From page 245... ...
For example, community health workers in Rwanda are monitoring the health and social conditions of older adults in communities while giving them vital information about the pandemic and providing much-needed social interactions (Louis et al., 2022)
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From page 246... ...
As previously discussed, telemedicine allowed people to receive basic levels of care while not risking exposure to the virus. Digital technology allowed people to connect with loved ones virtually and helped reduce feelings of social isolation and loneliness.
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From page 247... ...
At the societal level, public health mandates, social isolation, economic stresses, and other factors associated with the pandemic appear to have increased generational divides. According to research sponsored by AARP, the economic effects of the pandemic have forced families to merge households for financial survival (Binette and Vasold, 2018)
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From page 248... ...
Given the dramatic increases globally in the number and proportion of older persons, much greater investment in basic and clinical research is essential to better understand the pathophysiology of diseases and develop effective therapeutics. Readiness Assessments The need to revise current risk assessment strategies is clear from the fact that internationally recognized indices, such as the GHS Index, that were designed to indicate the levels of countries' preparedness for an epidemic failed to accurately predict the pandemic's toll on individual countries.
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From page 249... ...
An essential, and often overlooked, aspect of preparedness is pre-epidemic establishment of effective mechanisms to facilitate rapid and intensive collaboration, including sharing of best science, expertise, and resources, within and between the public and private sectors, as well as enhanced communication and collaboration between local and state regulators. Data and Analytics While data and analytics clearly inform readiness assessments, data sharing and use of real-time data have been shown to be critical for effective decision making about health care during the pandemic.
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From page 250... ...
2020. Key considerations for transferring patients to relief healthcare facilities when responding to community transmission of COVID-19 in the United States.
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2021. COVID data demonstrate PACE model is safer than nursing home care.
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From page 252... ...
coronavirus deaths are linked to nursing homes. The New York Times, June 1.
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