Page 12 - Accelerating Research and Impact - Issue 5

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Accelerating Research and Impact
AGEING SMARTER UNDER COVID-19
Features
Elderly services and psychological health
Research by the Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies between April and May 2020 found that the COVID-19 outbreak severely affected all kinds of services for the elderly at varying levels. Nearly 70% of respondents working at service centres for the elderly said that “drop-in service” and “social and recreational services” were completely suspended. Respondents also observed that service users had suffered from “lack of social activity” (over 90%) and from “increase of loneliness” (over 70%).
Based on the survey results, the research team suggested that the Government should provide concrete and clear operational guidelines to welfare providers, offer anti-pandemic training and provide sufficient protective equipment to frontline staff. Additional financial support is also needed for welfare providers to launch online services and help older people with financial difficulties to purchase equipment, as well as subsidising social welfare agencies in providing training on using smartphones for the elderly and their carers.