{"id":7455,"date":"2020-04-08T18:02:56","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T12:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/?p=7455"},"modified":"2023-04-10T18:18:24","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T12:48:24","slug":"problems-of-the-aged-during-corona-outbreak-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/problems-of-the-aged-during-corona-outbreak-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Problems of the Aged during Corona Outbreak In India"},"content":{"rendered":"

Problems of the Aged during Corona Outbreak In India<\/h1>\n

Relevance: Sociology: Problems of Ageing & G.S paper I: Society and Social Issues: &G.S paper II: Health: Governance<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Why in news?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The elderly are especially vulnerable in the global pandemic and health officials and governments are increasingly calling for extreme measures to safeguard them. Across the globe, many cities have all but shut down as officials issue dire warnings for younger people – who can carry the virus without knowing it – to avoid their parents and grandparents. But this growing isolation of the elderly has spawned its own crisis, as families try to balance the need to care for loved ones with directives to stay away, shifting the burden to overstretched governments and medical facilities.<\/p>\n

SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Social<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Loneliness and isolation, or social isolation, are often discussed together and even used interchangeably. While they are related, they are distinct concepts.<\/p>\n

Loneliness can be understood as an individual\u2019s personal, subjective sense of lacking desired affection,<\/strong> closeness, and social interaction with others. Although loneliness has a social aspect, it is also defined by an individual\u2019s subjective emotional state.<\/p>\n

Loneliness is more dependent on the quality than the number of relationships.<\/p>\n

Social isolation refers to a lack of contact with family or friends, community involvement, or access to services.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is possible to be lonely but not to be socially isolated – research shows that older people in large households and care homes are more likely to report loneliness. It is also quite possible to be socially isolated but not lonely. Some people who live on their own or in remote places may not feel or report loneliness.<\/p>\n

Persistent loneliness can have profound impacts on physical and mental health, and quality of life. For example, loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, 30 and people with a high degree of loneliness are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer\u2019s as people with a low degree of loneliness.<\/p>\n

These issues are discussed in more detail in the \u2018Impacts of loneliness\u2019 section below. In our recent studies we have found that the three top concerns of older people were: bodily pain, loneliness and memory loss.<\/p>\n

Why do we get lonely? <\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Research on twin and non-twin siblings suggests that loneliness is approximately 50 per cent inherited and 50 per cent environmental.<\/p>\n

This means that a person\u2019s response to environmental triggers is only partly due to their social situation, and is also partly due to inherited factors. This helps to explain why some people are happy to be alone, and others are not (but other environmental factors such as upbringing also play a role).<\/p>\n

However, the fact that loneliness is not 100 per cent heritable means that it can be affected by changes to environmental conditions (such as interventions to reduce loneliness). It is thought that loneliness is an adaptive indicator (self-defence mechanism), like pain or hunger, which signals that something is wrong and prompts the person experiencing it to correct the problem.<\/p>\n

\"Social<\/p>\n

The impact of loneliness on older people <\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As noted above, existing health conditions or impairments can lead to a curtailment of independence and can limit social roles, resulting in feelings of loneliness.<\/p>\n

Conversely, chronic feelings of loneliness can result in deterioration of health and well-being, and a shorter lifespan.<\/p>\n

Feeling lonely has been shown to increase blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular diseases, elevate cortisol and stress levels which weakens the immune system, impair sleep quality (which causes memory problems) leading to negative effects on metabolic, neural and hormonal regulations, and heighten feelings of depression, anxiety, and increase vulnerability.<\/p>\n

Self-perceived loneliness doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease. There is evidence that loneliness and social isolation are associated with reduced cognitive function, while socially engaged older people experience less cognitive decline and are less prone to dementia.<\/p>\n

It is thought that cognitive health is facilitated directly through enhanced brain stimulation, and indirectly through lowered stress reactions,\u00a0 improved coping mechanisms, and healthy behaviours.<\/p>\n

Having weak social connections also carries a health risk: those with strong social connections have a 50 per cent increased likelihood of survival after an average follow-up time of 7\u00bd years.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, nursing home residents who report feeling emotionally lonely die sooner than those who are not. It has been found that loneliness often relates to feelings of \u2018anger, sadness, depression, worthlessness, resentment, emptiness, vulnerability and pessimism\u2019.<\/p>\n

Studies have also found that loneliness leads to poor lifestyle behaviours;<\/strong> for example, alcohol has been shown to be used by people in order to alleviate a sense of a meaningless life, depression, anxiety and loneliness.<\/p>\n

\"Chapter033healthpromotion<\/p>\n

Studies have also found a link with drug abuse and bulimia and loneliness.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lonely adults are more likely to be overweight and smoke, and are less likely to exercise. There is a proven link between loneliness, depression and suicide.<\/p>\n

But loneliness does not just directly affect health and well-being; it can also become a vicious circle: research has shown that lonely people are more likely to view social encounters with more cynicism and mistrust, rate others and themselves more negatively, and expect others to reject them.<\/p>\n

In addition, lonely people tend to adopt behaviours that increase their likelihood of rejection.<\/p>\n

These beliefs and behaviours are referred to as \u2018maladaptive social cognition\u2019.<\/p>\n

Main causes of loneliness<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Old<\/p>\n