Radius Care Talk About How Lockdown and Social Isolation Has Affected the Elderly Living Alone

Social distancing has helped flatten the COVID-19 curve and kept many of us safe, but it has also made us walk in the shoes of thousands of older New Zealanders – and that’s timely. While for many these extraordinary circumstances will be temporary, for an increasing number of older people, it’s not so different from every other day. 

Growing older is a privilege and many tackle it with enthusiasm, positivity and grace. 

However, there are others who, through poor health, disability, lack of mobility or physical distance, are at greater risk of experiencing loneliness and disconnection from family, friends and their community. 

Having been confined to our homes and unable to easily visit family and friends we, now more than ever, have an understanding of what it might be like for some older people. The Health Minister instructed elderly people to remain home, have groceries and vital medications delivered, and avoid social contact with family and friends, but now urgent action is needed to mitigate the mental and physical health consequences. 

Self-isolation has disproportionately affected elderly individuals, whose only social contact is out of the home, such as at daycare venues, community centres, and places of worship. Those who do not have close family or friends, and rely on the support of voluntary services or social care, could be placed at additional risk, along with those who are already lonely, isolated, or secluded. 

Brian Cree, Managing Director of Radius Care says, “To be able to have people leave feeling good about their loved one being in care, that's a core value I think. And I felt if we could achieve that then we would be ahead of the game in terms of aged care in New Zealand“” 

You can be sure that Radius Care take aged care in New Zealand very seriously and meet the highest standards of care to ensure all their residents are well looked after at all times., so to find out more about their levels of care and management, and for more information on elderly assistance , finding respite care and rest homes Tauranga please go to http://radiuscare.co.nz .