Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry To the Editor The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent policy responses in the Australian context have resulted in substantial changes to the way in which communities are currently functioning and potentially will have ongoing psychosocial impacts post-pandemic. One of the key strategies to reduce the rate of infection has been physical distancing. Authorities have requested that peopleRead More…

Source: PLOS ONENew Zealand’s early response to the novel coronavirus pandemic included a strict lockdown which eliminated community transmission of COVID-19. However, this success was not without cost, both economic and social. In our study, we examined the psychological wellbeing of New Zealanders during the COVID-19 lockdown when restrictions reduced social contact, limited recreation opportunities, and resulted in jobRead More…

Source: The Gerontological Society Of America The case-fatality rate for COVID-19 increases dramatically with age from 3% to 5% between 65 and 74 years, 4% to 11% between 75 and 84 years, and 10% to 27% above 85 years and people aged 65 years and older account for 45% of hospitalizations, 53% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, andRead More…

Source: The British Geriatrics Society Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral illness that currently has no treatment, which impacts upon the course, duration or severity of the disease. In a proportion of individuals, COVID-19 leads to a severe inflammatory process and damage to the lungs. Some patients develop respiratory failure and require critical care support, with the hope that theRead More…

Source: JAMDAAs the COVID-19erelated mortality rate of nursing home residents continues to rise, so too will the rates of mortality and morbidity of staff who care for them, a problem we must address now to avoid another health care crisis once this pandemic recedes. Currently, a significant proportion of deaths are attributed to persons living in nursing homes, ranging fromRead More…

Source: Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine The American Geriatric Society’s (AGS) position paper on age-related considerations in resource allocation strategies during the COVID-19 era and the expanded rationale emphasizes the importance of not using age as a categorical exclusion during the allocation of scarce resources. Using age primarily may violate the ethical principle of justice as wellRead More…

Source: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to a dramatic crisis of Health Care Systems worldwide, and older people have been among the most disadvantaged. Specific recommendations and reports have been released both at International and National level, regarding the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 in the elderly. However, little has been proposed for an appropriateRead More…

Source: International Journal of Geriatric PsychiatryThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to rethink how we deliver mental health services now and into the future. The Public health emergency caused by COVID-19 and the need to maintain service provision has necessitated an adaptive response to service delivery. Specifically, health and safety measures implemented to tackle the exigencies of the pandemic (eg,Read More…

Source: Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health On Apr. 25, 2020, Veterans’ Affairs in New Zealand (NZ) contacted approximately 3,000 of 8,000 known military Veterans by phone during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic to ensure they were safe during the government-imposed lockdown. The impetus to this initiative were the findings of a cross-sectional quantitative survey of NZRead More…

Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry This is an anxious time, especially for older adults who are those most vulnerable during this coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Interestingly, this anxiety and the accompanying emotional distress are known to increase susceptibility to infection, effects that may be especially strong as immune function decreases with aging. Religious beliefs and practices are known toRead More…