Older persons during the Covid-19 pandemic

Starije osobe sa svim životnim iskustvima i ulogama nikada nisu bile međusobno različitije. Prema definiciji UN-a osobe starije životne dobi su osobe kronološke dobi iznad 65 godina. Danas, prvi put u povijesti na Zemlji je više starijih osoba nego djece. Pojavom Covid-19, nove i do sada nepoznate bolesti koja je proglašena pandemijom, istodobno je došlo i do pojave posebnog i povećanog rizika za starije osobe. Prvo istraživanje pokazalo je visoku stopu smrtnosti starijih osoba. Pandemija je nedvojbeno utjecala na razne aspekte života starijih osoba, posebno na njihovo mentalno i tjelesno zdravlje, te njihov ekonomski status. Povećana je i diskriminacija prema starijim osobama koja je i bez ove pandemije bila visoka, kao i zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje. Socijalna izolacija posebno je pogodila starije osobe i povećala njihov osjećaj osamljenosti. Tehnologije su postale glavno sredstvo održavanja kontakta, no tu se javlja problem što je s onim starijim osobama koje ne znaju koristiti moderne tehnologije. Ciljevi ovog rada objašnjavaju navedenu problematiku položaja starijih osoba za vrijeme Covid-19 pandemije te nude načine skrbi, brige i zaštite starijih osoba tijekom Covid-19 pandemije, s naglaskom na podršku obitelji i psihosocijalnu podršku.Older persons with all life experiences and roles have never been more different from each other. According to the UN definition, older persons are people of chronological age over 65 years. Today, for the first time in history, there are more older persons than children on Earth. The emergence of Covid-19, a new and hitherto unknown disease that has been declared as pandemic, has at the same time led to the emergence of a special and increased risk for older persons. The first study showed a high mortality rate for older persons. The pandemic has undoubtedly affected various aspects of the lives of older persons, especially their mental and physical health, and their economic status. Discrimination against the elderly has also increased, which was high even without this pandemic, as well as abuse and neglect. Social isolation particularly affected older persons and increased their sense of loneliness. Technologies have become the main means of maintaining contact, but there is a problem with those older persons who do not know how to use modern technologies. The objectives of this paper explain the above issues of the position of older persons during the Covid-19 pandemic and offer ways of care and protection of older persons during the Covid-19 pandemic, with emphasis on family support and psychosocial support