Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental and Physical Health of Elderly Living in Broward County Senior Living Facilities.
Speaker Credentials
MS-II
College
College of Allopathic Medicine
Format
Poster
Start Date
6-11-2020 1:45 PM
End Date
6-11-2020 2:00 PM
Abstract
Title: Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the mental and physical health of elderly living in Broward County senior living facilities. Authors: Sarah Raines, Algevis Wrench, Ph.D., Chasity O’Malley, Ph.D. Institutional Affiliation: Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine Background Currently, senior living facilities in Broward County are imposing severe social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions exacerbate the existing negative health effects of social isolation in the elderly community. The objective of this study is to create a needs assessment survey to determine aspects of living conditions in senior living facilities suitable for intervention. The goal of the interventions is to improve the overall health of the elderly population during pandemics. Methods Literature review on the effect of previous pandemics and the current COVID-19 pandemic on the elderly population was conducted using the key words elderly, pandemic, health, and mental health. A focus group was designed for 8-12 current senior living facility residents in Broward county. From the general topics discussed during the focus group, a needs assessment survey will be generated. Results We expect the focus group and needs assessment survey to reveal various concerns directly related to the increased social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lack of physical activity, communication with family and health professionals, access to routine meals, supplies, and prescriptions, and difficulty attending office visits. Conclusion This study created a means to assess the concerns among senior living facility residents in Broward County regarding their health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The completion of this focus group and the distribution of the resulting needs assessment survey to a wide population is critical to continue working toward mitigating the negative impacts of social isolation on the elderly during pandemics.
Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental and Physical Health of Elderly Living in Broward County Senior Living Facilities.
Title: Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the mental and physical health of elderly living in Broward County senior living facilities. Authors: Sarah Raines, Algevis Wrench, Ph.D., Chasity O’Malley, Ph.D. Institutional Affiliation: Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine Background Currently, senior living facilities in Broward County are imposing severe social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions exacerbate the existing negative health effects of social isolation in the elderly community. The objective of this study is to create a needs assessment survey to determine aspects of living conditions in senior living facilities suitable for intervention. The goal of the interventions is to improve the overall health of the elderly population during pandemics. Methods Literature review on the effect of previous pandemics and the current COVID-19 pandemic on the elderly population was conducted using the key words elderly, pandemic, health, and mental health. A focus group was designed for 8-12 current senior living facility residents in Broward county. From the general topics discussed during the focus group, a needs assessment survey will be generated. Results We expect the focus group and needs assessment survey to reveal various concerns directly related to the increased social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lack of physical activity, communication with family and health professionals, access to routine meals, supplies, and prescriptions, and difficulty attending office visits. Conclusion This study created a means to assess the concerns among senior living facility residents in Broward County regarding their health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The completion of this focus group and the distribution of the resulting needs assessment survey to a wide population is critical to continue working toward mitigating the negative impacts of social isolation on the elderly during pandemics.