A leading charity for older Scots is voicing concern that thousands of people don’t have the confidence to rebuild active lives, despite Scotland moving 'beyond level 0' and restrictions being lifted.

Age Scotland is publishing initial findings from a survey of over 3500 people aged over 50 who were contacted this spring as Scotland experienced its second national covid-19 lockdown.

The research suggests that, although many people felt better prepared, 51% said they were even more anxious about the future the second time around.

While 15% of respondents said they had been advised to shield, a further 46% had been worried enough about their health and safety that they chose to limit their activities and keep away from other people - despite not being in a high-risk group.

A quarter said the pandemic affected their mental health and wellbeing, or that of members of their household.

More than two thirds of those who took part said the pandemic had impacted them by reducing their contact with friends and families. A further 30% reported difficulty getting a consultation with a GP and nearly one in five (17%) had trouble accessing supermarket home deliveries.

Age Scotland expanded its helpline service early in the pandemic in recognition of the challenges older people were facing.

Telephony manager, Laura Stenhouse, says recovery for many people will take a long time and a lot of support from others:

“Lockdown and shielding during a health emergency in which so many older people in Scotland lost their lives has resulted in unprecedented levels of anxiety and loneliness.

“A year and a half on from scaling up our helpline, it’s clear that many existing concerns and needs have been exacerbated.

“There is no quick-fix or way to snap back to what life was like pre-pandemic. Instead, we can all take steps to make sure no older person feels they are going through this extended period of recovery alone.”

The Chief Executive of Age Scotland, Brian Sloan, says the priority now must be to support older people, for whom the impact of the lockdowns continues to be felt:

“Covid-19 has taken a devastating toll on Scotland’s older population, and this new research puts into perspective what daily life was like for older people during the pandemic, as well as the longer-term impact of this period.

“The move beyond level 0 will have impacted everyone in different ways, and we’d urge everyone to continue being considerate of how their actions may affect others and to look out for older friends, relatives and neighbours who may still be in need of support, assistance or just a friendly chat.

"We were glad to hear that over half of our survey respondents had received offers of help from neighbours or others in their local area during the pandemic, and hope to see this sense of community spirit continue.

“It’s difficult to think of any aspect of the pandemic as positive, but at the same time it’s worth reflecting on what we have learned, both about ourselves and society and about the measures needed to ensure mistakes are not repeated.

“As Scotland’s recovery continues, it’s vital that those most impacted by the pandemic are supported to play a full and active role in society again, at a pace which is comfortable to them.”

 

Read more: In full: Plea for caution from at-risk Scots; Shortfall in key mental health staff as workload rises; Pam Duncan-Glancy: Where is the care restart?

 

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