Elderly People Scared To Leave Home Following Covid-19 Pandemic

The world as we know it has certainly changed over the past 18 months. There have been a lot of knock-on effects that have happened as a consequence of the pandemic, and one of these is elderly people scared to leave their homes, resulting in an uptick in the number of people seeking domiciliary care services. This is something that has been confirmed by SeniorLine, a confidential listening service for elderly people, which saw the number of calls it receives double because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The organisation has stated that a lot of elderly people are scared to leave their homes even with the restrictions starting to lift. Read on to discover more about this and how to help anxious elderly people who need care but fear leaving the home.

Anxiety is rife amongst older people at the moment

A manager for SeniorLine, Damien Leneghan, has stated that anxiety is rife amongst elderly people at the moment. He cited one case of a woman who stated she now becomes nervous about the thought of visiting a friend or going to the shops because she has gotten so used to being on her own at home, despite admitting that it is monotonous and depressing. This is something that we have seen in a lot of people as a result of the pandemic. They have lost their confidence and they feel safer staying at home even though they realise that it is not good for them.

Additional research backs up these findings

It is not only SeniorLine that have reported these sort of findings. Two national surveys have been carried out that have delved deeper into the enduring losses older people have suffered because of the pandemic and the impact it has had on them. Age Alliance published a report called Telling It Like It Is, which found that a lot of people have lost their capacity for sociability, and that their resilience reserves were worn very thin. This is something that the In Their Own Words report by Trinity College echoes.

Consider home care services for elderly people who need assistance

While it can be tempting to encourage your loved one to move into a residential home if they are feeling like they do not want to leave the home and they need care and assistance, this can end up causing much more distress. As the Better At Home 2021 Report shows, people prefer the dignity and contentedness that comes with living at home. We can certainly argue that this is even more so the case in light of the pandemic. By enlisting the services of a live-in carer, you will have someone who can provide your loved one with assistance and support, giving them the much-needed company they need to combat their loneliness. At the same time, the carer will be able to encourage your family member to leave the home to meet friends or go shopping. They will feel more confident about doing so with their carer by their side.