Fear, loneliness and in older adults the COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is an uncontrollable and stressful event that appears to affect the mental wellbeing of elderly people, causing fear, loneliness and depression. Fear is one of the most frequent emotions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Causes of fear for older people are: high levels of infection, anxiety, uncertainty, health concerns, asymptomatic cases, risk of the life of their loved ones and exposure to excessive contradictory information from the media. Moreover, social isolation significantly predicts poor mental health, while loneliness rates in older people during the pandemic are high. Finally, high mortality rates in old age from COVID-19, fear of serious illness and anxiety about adherence to the measures are key stressors and increase the likelihood of developing depression. It is necessary to develop strategies to mitigate the dangerous effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of the elderly and address them appropriately.