The COVID-19 Pandemic and Older Adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life globally through virus-related mortality and morbidity and the social and economic impacts of actions taken to stop the virus' spread. It became evident early on during the pandemic that older adults are especially vulnerable to morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, and the adverse consequences of strategies taken to mitigate its effects. While no more likely to become infected than younger populations, the risk for hospitalization and death rises considerably with age. Residents of long-term care facilities have been among the hardest hit. The pandemic has brought many facets of ageism to the fore. Community stay-at-home messages, lockdowns, social distancing requirements, and visitation restrictions contributed to a concomitant epidemic in social isolation and loneliness. Economic and social impacts have been dramatic; so too has been the disproportionate hardship experienced by members of racial and ethnic minority communities. This book reports original empirical research and perspectives on the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the older adult population, and draws lessons for policy, research, and practice. Key issues pertaining to the impact of COVID-19 on older adults and their families, caregivers, and communities are highlighted. Four main areas are examined: personal experiences with COVID-19; long-term care system impacts; end-of-life care; and technology and innovation. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Aging & Social Policy.

Edward Alan Miller is Professor and Chair, Department of Gerontology, and Fellow, Gerontology Institute, at the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, and Adjunct Professor of Health Services, Policy & Practice at the School of Public Health, Brown University. His research focuses on understanding the determinants and effects of public policies and practices affecting older adults in need of long-term services and support. He is author/co-author/editor/co-editor of more than 134 journal articles, 21 book chapters, and 6 books. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Aging & Social Policy, and Fellow within the Gerontological Society of America.

Part 1: Introduction 1. Shining a Spotlight: The Ramifications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Older Adults Part 2: Personal Experiences 2. Coronavirus-Related Anxiety, Social Isolation, and Loneliness in Older Adults in Northern California during the Stay-at-Home Order 3. Pandemic Place: Assessing Domains of the Person-Place Fit Measure for Older Adults (PPFM-OA) during COVID-19 4. The Impact of Stigmatization on Social Avoidance and Fear of Disclosure among Older People: Implications for Social Policy Preparedness in a Public Health Crisis 5. Old Overnight: Experiences of Age-Based Recommendations in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden 6. Living Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Community-Dwelling Older Adults' Experiences 7. "We Are Saving Their Bodies and Destroying Their Souls.": Family Caregivers' Experiences of Formal Care Setting Visitation Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic Part 3: Long-Term Care System Impacts 8. Prevalence of COVID-19 in Ohio Nursing Homes: What's Quality Got to Do with It? 9. The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Homes in Italy: The Case of Lombardy 10. COVID-19 and Long-Term Care Policy for Older People in Japan 11. The Impact of COVID-19 on Social Isolation in Long-term Care Homes: Perspectives of Policies and Strategies from Six Countries 12. COVID-19 Pandemic and Resilience of the Transnational Home-Based Elder Care System between Poland and Germany Part 4: End-of-Life Care 13. Rethinking the Role of Advance Care Planning in the Context of Infectious Disease 14. Palliative Care for Older Adults with Multimorbidity in the Time of COVID 19 Part 5: Technology and Innovation 15. Cross-Border Medical Services for Hong Kong's Older Adults in Mainland China: The Implications of COVID-19 for the Future of Telemedicine 16. Telephone-Based Emotional Support for Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic 17. Technology Recommendations to Support Person-Centered Care in Long-Term Care Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond 18. Redesigning Memory Care in the COVID-19 Era: Interdisciplinary Spatial Design Interventions to Minimize Social Isolation in Older Adults