Open AccessAging, Social Distancing, and COVID-19 Risk: Who is more Vulnerable and Why?
Author(s) -
Jamshid Faraji,
Gerlinde A. S. Metz
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
aging and disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.808
H-Index - 54
ISSN - 2152-5250
DOI - 10.14336/ad.2021.0319
Subject(s) - loneliness , social isolation , social distance , psychological resilience , pandemic , vulnerability (computing) , population , social support , isolation (microbiology) , medicine , psychological intervention , gerontology , psychology , covid-19 , social psychology , environmental health , psychiatry , computer security , disease , pathology , computer science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Perceived social support represents an important predictor of healthy aging. The global COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the face of social relationships and revealed elderly to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of social isolation. Social distancing may represent a double-edged sword for older adults, protecting them against COVID-19 infection while also sacrificing personal interaction and attention at a critical time. Here, we consider the moderating role of social relationships as a potential influence on stress resilience, allostatic load, and vulnerability to infection and adverse health outcomes in the elderly population. Understanding the mechanisms how social support enhances resilience to stress and promotes mental and physical health into old age will enable new preventive strategies. Targeted social interventions may provide effective relief from the impact of COVID-19-related isolation and loneliness. In this regard, a pandemic may also offer a window of opportunity for raising awareness and mobilizing resources for new strategies that help build resilience in our aging population and future generations.