MANGALURU: The stringent
lockdown imposed by the Centre in March was relaxed in May, and most of the restrictions are being lifted I phases. However, for the elderly, it has been a long and lonely journey since March.
Isolation continues to be a daily reality for most of the
senior citizens, who have been identified as being among the groups more vulnerable to
Covid-19. Consequently, this prolonged spell of loneliness and forced
seclusion has taken a toll on their
mental wellbeing and cases of elderly people complaining of problems such as
anxiety is on the rise.
Clinical supervisor in the department of occupational therapy at the Manipal College of Health Professionals (MCHP) Lavanya Padamshali emphasised the role social participation played in ensuring a seamless transition to one’s advanced years. “Even before the pandemic struck, research showed that nearly 20% of the elderly in India were living isolated lives. This number is likely to have doubled after the pandemic. Several studies relate diseases, mortality and quality of life of senior citizens to the amount of social participation,” Lavanya said.
As part of an occupational therapy project at MCHP, students who interacted with at least 25 senior citizens found that almost every second elderly person they spoke to was experiencing stress. “Uncertainty and fear of the pandemic can have a great impact on the minds of the elderly people, who are already grappling with questions such as ‘what after me’,” Lavanya told TOI.
She said that reaching out to the elderly people residing at old age homes had not been an easy task since most such institutions did not have a facility through which they could reach out to the inmates. “We noticed a rise in the number of people dealing with anxiety, panic, adjustment disorders, depression, chronic stress and insomnia. Most of them terribly miss social participation, which is a crucial parameter in keeping their mind fresh and active,” Lavanya added.
She said that, as part of ‘Occupational Therapy Day’ celebrated on October 27, MCHP was documenting success stories of senior citizens based on the theme ‘Reimagine Doing’. The documentary will also highlight how they have been coping with the pandemic. “We have documented the life of 60-year-old Abdulla KK, who is also physically-challenged. His positive attitude helped him tide through these times. ‘Better to wear out than rust out’ is the motto he lives by. A wheelchair-bound Abdulla uses his leisure for tele-counselling other people with disabilities. A passionate writer, he is the author of two books,” Lavanya added.