To face the coronavirus, lockdown measures are essential to limit the spread and save many lives. Since the elderly are among the most vulnerable populations, some governments have decided to take even more drastic measures for people living in institutions. Protecting our seniors at all costs is commendable, but we must not forget the serious consequences of confinement on their health: irreversible effects caused by immobility, diminished muscular capacities, aggravation of depressive states… Lockdown causes a lot of distress to older people which are locked up in solitude. Are loneliness and boredom sometimes more deadly than a virus?
Recent articles by Dr. Louise Aronson, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and the author of “Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life.” can help you form your own opinion and reflect on the situation of the elderly during this health crisis:
- Covid-19 Kills Only Old People.’ Only? Why are we OK with old people dying? (The New York Times)
- Ageism Is Making the Pandemic Worse. The disregard for the elderly that’s woven into American culture is hurting everyone. (The Atlantic)
