Social Problems of Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematized Review

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic devastated the healthcare systems, its consequences have been particularly severe for senior citizens. They have been at higher risk of being physically affected and faced more social and mental problems in the COVID-19 era. During the pandemic, they, more than other age groups, reported a feeling of loneliness, symptoms of depression, and anxiety, and, more than ever, faced ageism, discrimination, and elder abuse. Although many people can overcome social isolation in the light of social media and the internet, the elderly are not digitally literate and welcoming to technology like younger generations. Recognizing the unique needs of older adults must be considered in making health policies.

In this systematized review, we collected all studies originally written in English and containing relative information regarding the social problems of older adults during the pandemic in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science (n = 25).

Findings were categorized into 3 main components: (1) body function and body structure, (2) activities and participation, and (3) environmental factors.

Social isolation has proven more debilitating for older adults, as they often lack equal access to the internet, nor are they equally welcoming to social media and the internet as younger generations. This negative impact is worse for those with chronic conditions, especially cognitive impairments.