The General Public’s Perceptions of How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Impacted the Elderly and Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the general public’s perceptions of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the elderly and people with intellectual disabilities as well how these perceptions relate to people’s level of familiarity and contact quality with these groups. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a sample of the Dutch population (n = 1458 and n = 1761, comprising questions related to the elderly and people with intellectual disabilities, respectively). The general public was found to be generally aware of the deleterious impact of the pandemic upon the elderly and people with intellectual disabilities. Specifically, the respondents reported that both groups’ quality of life, physical and mental health, and quality and frequency of social contact was lower than it was prior to COVID-19, in addition to perceiving them as lonelier and less self-reliant. Notably, the impact on the elderly was considered to be greater than that on people with intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, those who had no familiarity with people with intellectual disabilities in real life perceived the impact to be lower than those who had a greater degree of familiarity. These findings have important implications, both for increasing awareness of the pandemic’s negative impact on these vulnerable groups and in terms of sufficiently addressing their specific needs and concerns. The findings also underscore that, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to increase the visibility of groups who already relied more on help and support from others in society prior to the pandemic, such as the elderly and people with intellectual disabilities, via, among other things, self-advocacy, education, and enhanced intergroup contact, in order to be able to sufficiently address their needs during these challenging times.

New Dimension on Quality of Life Differences among Older Adults: A Comparative Analysis of Digital Consumption in Urban and Rural Areas of China

“…In contrast to the isolation experienced by older adults at the psychological level, the physical level was limited by the closure of public places and the temporary closure of areas. Older adults and particularly vulnerable groups became more dependent on the rest of society for help and support during the pandemic [ 40 ]. The massive deployment of information technology and digital development during the pandemic has given more older adults access to ICT [ 41 ].…”

Loneliness among elderly people as a public health threat

“…over the last few decades, increasing urbanization and the migrations of the young workforce exacerbates the burdens of loneliness, depression and anxiety among elderly people, especially those who are left to live alone in scarcely populated rural areas [15,16]. Paradoxically, policies intended to protect the elderly often result in negative phenomena, such as actual discrimination justified on the basis of paternalistic and generalizing assumptions that the old people are "vulnerable" or not self-reliant, and that any limitations imposed on them are always "for their own good" [17]; this is especially true in the case of elderly people with intellectual disabilities, the impact of which tends to be overblown [18]. Institutionalization of elderly people tends to worsen the problem, as it often affects patients who end up confined to their rooms, which increases their social isolation.…”