U.S. adults aged 50 to 80 have experienced diminished physical activity and function, and more falls, since March 2020, according to a national survey released last year.
“The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with worsened physical functioning and fall outcomes,” Dr. Jackie Luker, a geriatrician with University Medical Center, said during a Mini Medical School presentation in February. Mini Medical School is a series of lectures provided each semester through a collaboration of The University of Alabama OLLI program and UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, which operates UMC.
Luker is also an assistant professor with CCHS.
She said the survey showed that increased fear of falling was greater among those who lacked companionship or who were isolated from others. This occurred with approximately 23% of respondents.
Luker also discussed the impacts of ageism during the pandemic. Ageism is discrimination based on a person’s age. She said studies found that age-based framing (older adult, elderly, senior citizen, aged nursing home recipient) was linked to more negative media portrayals of older adults during COVID-19, while familial role-based framing (grandparents) was linked to more positive portrayals. “The news media should be aware of the diversity of roles older adults play in society,” she said.
Finally, Luker discussed how changes in social contact can mitigate low mood in the elderly. In a study where phone-based surveys were administered before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was found that connecting through the phone or in person decreased the risk of feeling lonely, sad or disconnected.
The Mini Medical School program has been presented by CCHS faculty since 2016. It provides an opportunity for community learners to explore trends in medicine and health, and the lectures offer important information about issues and advances in medicine and research.