Author: JasonGraziadei
Helping Seniors Manage Loneliness and Anxiety during the COVID-19 Crisis
Key Takeaways
- Ask loved ones about their appetites, sleep patterns and moods to find red flags
- Find creative ways to connect while still being physically apart
- Arrange a few unprompted acts of kindness
The geriatric population, those who are 65 years and older, has been widely noted as among the most at risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. Physical distancing has been the critical measure in the prevention and spread of infection within this age group.
However, while the physical health of the geriatric population has certainly been a topic of discussion during the COVID-19 pandemic, how has this period of isolation impacted the mental well-being of these individuals?
“Loneliness amongst the older population will be a much more insidious cause of casualty than we previously realized,” says Matthew L Russell, MD, a geriatrician and palliative care specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Acute Care Hospital Phase 2 Reopen Attestation
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Understanding Links Between COVID-19 and Obesity
Key Takeaways
- Obesity is a disease that affects the body in multiple ways
- Patients that are hospitalized for COVID-19 are more likely to need ICU care if they also have obesity
- Mitigate the risk by limiting exposure to other people who may have coronavirus
Obesity is not a risk factor for becoming infected with COVID-19 that we are aware of today. However, new data suggests that patients who have obesity are more likely to require intensive care for COVID-19.
“Once you have the virus, we’re seeing patients with obesity need more ICU care,” says Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA, associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center.
“While obesity has not always been considered a disease in the U.S., it is, and we are seeing it as a common comorbidity among COVID-19 patients with the severe form,” says Matthew Hutter, MD, director of the Weight Center and president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
Dr. Fitch and Dr. Hutter share four specific risk factors that link obesity with severe COVID-19 and how to mitigate risks.