The Effects of Pandemic on Elderly People

Posted: December 21st, 2022

The Effects of Pandemic on Elderly People

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The Effects of Pandemic on Elderly People

Covid-19 is a novel disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which reached global epidemic proportions and affected people across all ages. When it debuted in China in late 2019, Covid-19 was thought to be a pneumonia that resembles other highly-infectious respiratory diseases cause by other viral and bacterial infections (Gattinoni et al., 2020). However, its rapid spread affected the young and old alike, with high morbidity and mortality levels, and becoming a global pandemic in a matter of months. Within a year, the Covid-19 pandemic has killed about 143,900 patients globally (Matsuishi et al., 2021). Initially, it was though that Covid-19 caused death through compromising the respiratory system in the body only, which manifests as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as evidenced from computed tomography (CT) scan images (Hani et al., 2020). However, over time, it was found to cause multiple organ failure, making the cause of death varied (Iwasaki et al., 2021). Multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome that leads to multiple organ failure is caused by blood coagulation and thrombosis, presenting cardiovascular, central nervous system, brain, and kidney complications, with a possibility of liver damage, particularly in the elderly patients (Matsuishi et al., 2021).

  Covid-19’s long-term effects are still emerging as research activities yield new evidence and knowledge about the disease. Lopez-Leon et al. (2021) identified 50 long-term effects that lingered upon healing from Covid-19. For instance, it has emerged that it can cause irreparable lung damage, which compromises the respiratory efficiency of the lungs, leading to fatigue and headache (Lopez-Leon et al., 2021). In addition, losses of the sense of smell and taste, shortness of breath, joint pains, hair loss, and multiple cardiovascular, psychological, and neurological complications have also been reports (Lopez-Leon et al., 2021). Besides, different people respond differently to the virus, with some being symptomatic and others asymptomatic. However, even though vaccines were developed rapidly and administered in earnest globally, new variants of the deadly virus threaten to undo any protection that immunization has promised. Currently, it is not confirmed that the current vaccines can protect people against the emerging disease variants or vaccine cocktails can enhance protection (Rubin, 2021). This is worrisome, considering that vaccination drives are ongoing in many countries across the world. It is even more worrisome for older people, who have not been included proportionately in the vaccine efficacy clinical trials, especially if they have comorbidities (Soiza et al., 2020). Besides, the long-term effects of vaccination are still being conducted; therefore, current efficacy and safety findings may not be conclusive. Moreover, it is now emerging that Covid-19 might linger on for much longer and continue devastating people, particularly those at risk, such as children and the elderly people because of their  underdeveloped or compromised immunity, respectively. This is because many people are not vaccinated and can become infected. Consequently, the pandemic is likely to affect every lifespan stage, with devastating effects, thus compromising the normal human growth and development.

This discussion delves into the effects of the coronavirus pandemic as a lifespan development problem that is likely to affect people presently and in the future. However, which the pandemic impact all lifespan stages, it is most devastating to the elderly people who are at most risk due to their comorbidities, compromised immunity, and sedentary lifestyles. The discussion begins with the dilemmas presented by the coronavirus pandemic on individuals in late adulthood before elaborating the theoretical approaches applicable for this lifespan sage. After that, the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional influences of the pandemic on the elderly persons are analyzed before outlining the community resources that can help resolve the dilemmas.   

Late Adulthood and the Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Late adulthood is considered to commence at the age of 60 and extends till death. Therefore, it is considered the last state of change in many developmental aspects of human beings. For people with a long lifespan, late adulthood can be the longest developmental stage.  In the United States, late adulthood can last for an average of 13 years, considering that the average life expectancy in the country was 77.3 years in 2020, according to the National Center for Health statistics (Arias et al., 2021). However, the longevity of the females could be longer than that of males, since their average life expectancies are 80.2 and 74.5 years, respectively. This lifespan stage is very critical to this issue because the elderly people are at a high risk of morbidity and mortality induced by the Covid-19 pandemic.   

Theoretical Approaches

The theories relevant in contextualizing the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on the elderly people include psychosocial development theory, immunologic theory of aging, and the disengagement theory. These theories provide different perspectives of the aging process. Therefore, they can be used to clarify the different physical, cognitive, and socioemotional impacts on aging induced by the effects of Covid-19.  

Psychosocial development theory by Erik Erikson is a psychological theory that posits that there are 8 stages along which the human lifespan progresses from birth to death (Mauk, 2022). For this reason, the theory is also known as the stages of personality development theory. However, out of these 8 stages, the last one is most relevant to the lifespan stage selected for this discussion. This final stage of lifecycle growth and development focuses on the wisdom that comes from reflections on life. The elderly person that is aged 60 years or more would be resolving the conflict between ego integrity and despair. At this stage, it is expected that the elderly individual has resolved the conflicts encountered in the other previous seven stages. This theory is useful to this discussion because it would help explain the psychological and sociological outcomes of the aging process as the final lifespan stage.  

The immunologic theory of aging is a nonstochastic biological theory that suggests that the aging process is an extended autoimmune occurrence in which the highly-complex processes are controlled primarily by the body’s immune system (Mauk, 2022). For this reason, it is also known as the autoimmune theory of aging. The theory was advanced by Roy Walford to explain the relationship between lifespan and immunity. He initially hypothesized that the normal aging process in human beings was pathogenetically linked to dysfunctional immune process (Fulop et al., 2014). In other words, the deterioration of the immune system in the elderly individuals was the cause of aging, and that the aging process could be accelerated by a deteriorating immune system that was further comprised by chronic diseases. This theory is applicable in this discussion because it would explain how the immune system of the elderly people became further compromised by the pandemic and its effects. It also provides insights into how the vagaries of covid-19 and other similar pandemics can be addressed today and in the future, from an immunological perspective.

Disengagement theory is psychosocial theory of aging advanced by social scientists Cuming and Henry to describe how people developed in old age (Mauk, 2022). The theory posits that aging is an inevitable natural process accompanied by mutual disengagement of the aging person and the people in the surrounding social system. Therefore, disengagement should be accepted by the older people and the society around them because it relieves the elderly persons from the roles and responsibilities that have become torturous and challenging to perform owing to the increased frailty of the body and mind. The theory suggests that mutual disengagement should be encouraged and the older people should be allowed to experience solitude and sedentary lifestyles to allow them to contemplate and reflect on their lives. However, the theory does not discourage the older people from engaging in important social and physical activities that are critical for maintaining good health and personal wellness. Instead, it discourages the extensive engagement of the older people artificially with external activities. Consequently, the older people adjust to their less busy lives by exiting their active work lives, reducing their circles of family and friends, and constricting their social horizons. In the end, the disengagement process allows the older people to die more peacefully with reduced stress and disruptions that accompany busy and involving adult lives. This theory is relevant to this discussion because it will help explain how the older people deal with the effects of the pandemic in solitude and isolation, considering that they are likely to face the vagaries of the pandemic alone, either at home or when hospitalized. Besides, their self-reflection is bound to change because of the higher likelihood of mortality from severe Covid-19 and its devastating long-term effects. Therefore, the proposed interventions based on this theory would focus on regressing the disengagement demonstrated by individuals in the late adulthood lifespan stage, considering that closer links with the healthcare workers, community, and family members would be beneficial in helping these at-risk individuals can address pandemics.

Physical Impact of the Pandemic

Late adulthood is characterized by a physical state alongside several physical changes as an individual approaches the end of the lifespan. At this stage, the body does not grow but continues to deteriorate physically, as the cells are not regenerated. The physical changes can be externally observable or internal. The most visible external physical conditions associated with this lifespan stage include wrinkled, dry, and brittle skin, brittle and slow-growing thin or grey hair, or sometimes baldness, short and sometimes bent stature, and sometimes weight loss. Internally, there are other physical changes that occur, whose effects are manifested externally. For instance, the vital organs slow down as the energy levels of the elderly individuals reduce due to slowed-down metabolism. Therefore, the cardiovascular system undergoes changes such as the buildup of fatty deposits, the loss of elasticity in blood vessels, slowing of the heart rate, causing the heart to work much harder, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and hypertension. Similarly, the digestive system is challenges by difficulties in swallowing, slowing down of secretions, and slowing down of digestive reflexes, exposing the elderly people to indigestion. Likewise, urinary tract and kidneys deteriorate, reducing the waste removal efficiency of the body and causing the inability to hold bowels. In the same vein, visual and audio acuity reduce significantly incontinence.     

However, the pandemic is likely to accelerate this deterioration. Covid-19 reduces the oxygenation capability of the respiratory system, which is already compromised in the late adulthood stage. The elderly people experience more fatigue and shortness of breath than other Covid-19 patients of the younger age groups with the same level of disease severity.

Cognitive Impact of the Pandemic

Aging deteriorates the cognitive capabilities of the elderly individuals. The mental skills such as information handling, awareness, learning, memory, and logical reasoning deteriorate gradually as the brain shrinks. Consequently, people in the late adulthood lifespan stage experience dementia, slow execution of cognitive functions, such as multitasking, rapid speech, and remembering numbers, names, people, and events. Studies have evidenced that the changes in the brain associated with the late adulthood stage include the shrinkage of the hippocampus and frontal lobe responsible for higher cognitive functions, declining synaptic connections leasing for reduced cortical density, the shrinkage of the white matter, and the production of fewer chemical messengers or neurotransmitters.   

Socioemotional Impact of the Pandemic

Socioemotional capabilities change differently in the late adulthood stage of the lifespan. Research indicates that some socioemotional capabilities improve while other decline. For instance, the socioemotional capabilities that improve at the late lifespan stage include better emotional regulation and problem-solving, while those that deteriorate include the ability to recognize the emotions of other people.

Local Community Resources

The United States has several resources that can be utilized the individuals in the late adulthood stage to help them address the effects of Covid-19. For instance, 911 is a telephone number that the elderly persons or their caregivers can call for assistance for Covid-19 related emergencies.

In addition, there are several clinics and vaccination centers that the elderly Covid-19 patients can contact and access then they experience long Covid, which is a lingering Covid-related symptoms and challenges that affect people long after they have healed from the diseases.

Proposed Resolution

People in the late adulthood lifespan stage experience numerous challenges emanating from the covid-19 pandemic. The healthcare and social systems in the United States are challenged with caring for the elderly citizens in the country. The analysis of the issue has helped explain the challenges that the elderly people could experience in a highly-infectious disease pandemic. It has also revealed the gaps that exist in the American society that could compromise further the wellbeing of the elderly people because of a disease pandemic.

Since the elderly people have reduced physical, cognitive, and socioemotional capabilities, they require much support to deal with the vagaries of a pandemic such as the Covid-19 one, today and in the future.  For this reason, one proposed resolution for this issue it to create institutions and institutionalize support to help the late adulthood individual deal with pandemics.

Conclusion

This discussion set out to explain the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on the elderly people. The discussion traced the natural process of aging and compared it with that which is influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic in the short and long terms.

The aging theories used to help conceptualize the aging process and how it could be affected by the coronavirus pandemic included the psychosocial development theory, immunologic theory of aging, and the disengagement theory. The analysis conducted using these theories has exposed the vulnerabilities of individuals in the late adulthood lifespan stage. Consequently, it has revealed the opportunities of interventions that could be leveraged to enhance the resilience of this vulnerable group against disease pandemics in the future.

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