What we know
- The risk of infection with the COVID-19 virus is no different for the elderly than for other age groups. In contrast, the disease is much more severe in the elderly and can be fatal,
- Concomitant diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes, which increase with age, aggravate the course of COVID-19,
- At the very beginning of the pandemic, Turkey protected the elderly by introducing a total “street ban” for 65+. This measure was instrumental in keeping COVID-19 cases and mortality rates relatively low, and prevented an overload on the health system,
- As long as there is no effective medicine and no widely available vaccine, we will live with the COVID-19 virus. The elderly need to be especially careful, cautious and vigilant, especially if they have concurrent illnesses.
What we defend
- The elderly have the same rights as everyone else, and their rights should be protected equally in a pandemic,
- Measures against COVID-19 should not undermine the autonomy, dignity and self-confidence of older people as individuals,
- Measures taken to protect the health of older people during the pandemic should be measured, timely and proportionate in terms of their impact.
- A person’s well-being cannot be defined by a single disease; we should consider well-being as a physical, mental and cognitive whole.
- Chronological age and/or retirement status should not be the only criterion for determining the general definition of a person’s health status, the rules and measures to which they are subject.
Our recommendations for the elderly and their relatives:
- The elderly should remember that they are first and foremost responsible for their own health, and that the best source of guidance in this regard is their own physicians.
- The elderly and their relatives should be sensitive to problems such as bone and muscle resorption, joint problems, weight gain, increased arteriosclerosis due to inactivity, cognitive and psychological conditions, and should consult a doctor if necessary.
- The basic rule of normalization: Mask+distance+hygiene. It is so simple that everyone from 7 to 70 can do it. We all need to follow it and gently warn those who do not.
- If you think you cannot follow these basic rules, or if you see that your surroundings do not comply with these rules, your home is safer for you.
- Indoor places like shopping malls, coffee shops, etc. that you normally use a lot, public transportation vehicles are still risky, stay away.
Homework for all of us:
- With the return to normal working life, “silent/stealth carriers” will pose the most serious danger to the elderly living with their families, so it is imperative to change test protocols as soon as possible, to move to a new phase in test planning, and to conduct intensive testing, especially in workplaces.
- In the days of curfew for everyone, “street leave” for the elderly was an inadequate but safe method. Now that the general bans are over, we need to think about measures to ensure that older people can go out safely:
- Parks and similar open spaces can be ensured to be used only by the elderly (and their companions, if necessary) during certain time periods,
- In municipalities, government offices, banks, notaries, etc., measures can be taken to ensure that the elderly can receive services without waiting and without being crowded,
- Arrangements can be made to reduce their contact with others as much as possible during health checks and doctor visits, which were severely disrupted during the curfew period.
- We have seen in the past two months how important it is, especially for the elderly living alone, to use digital communication technologies. The “normalization” period should be used to ensure that the elderly have access to digital technologies and can use them for their own needs. For this, relatives of the elderly have as much, if not more, responsibility as public institutions.
- Taking into account the fact that we will live with the risk of COVID-19 for a long time, and the possibility of other outbreaks with similar effects in the coming years, it is imperative that local governments create places where the elderly can come together with their peers, where they can experience minimum socialization, where hygiene conditions are controlled and supervised by expert staff. Although this may seem like a long-term goal, that maturity should start today.