COVID-19 lockdown and social distance measures : a ‘perfect storm’ for social isolation and loneliness in later life

Abstract

Research conducted during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic has showcased an increase in the levels of loneliness and social isolation in later life. Lockdown and social distance measures certainly put many things to rest and battered many a socio-economic realm. However, their most devastating impact was certainly on older persons. COVID-19 brought a ‘social connectivity paradox’ as a common set of actions simultaneously protected and harmed older adults. While on one hand as the level of an older adult’s physical interactions with others increases, it can protect against social isolation and disconnectedness, although it can increase the risk of COVID-19 exposure, on the other hand as the level of an older adult’s physical interactions with others decreases, it can increase risk for social isolation and disconnectedness, although it can protect against risk of COVID-19 exposure. Some groups of older persons are affected more negatively than others. Two such groups include persons living with dementia and residents in care homes. The online and virtual world was hailed as a key ‘saving grace’ to mitigate against the perils of social isolation and loneliness. Nevertheless, all is not well in that interface between information and communication technology and later life due to the age-based digital divide. Rather than seeking to mitigate against the increasing levels of social isolation and loneliness of older persons as the result of the pandemic by augmenting the range of online and virtual services, the most crucial step is to address the barriers and obstacles that they face in taking up and using technology.