The long-term physical and mental health effects experienced during the pandemic by older adults who, along with their family caregivers, typically would be served by home healthcare agencies, are a growing concern of health experts, reports the Holland Sentinel.
“Home health care agencies and adult daycare programs that, under normal circumstances, would give live-in caregivers a break have become riskier options, and at times have been completely unavailable due to programs suspending their services,” according to the article.
Social isolation is associated with a 50% increased risk of developing dementia and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The isolation accelerates the aging process,” Joshua Uy, M.D., an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, told the media outlet. “You see increased falls, decreases in strength and ability to ambulate, and an acceleration of dementia, because there is no rhythm to the day. There isn’t a single part of a person’s life that isn’t affected.”
