Gelisim News

Expressing that extraordinary measures are taken to protect the health of the elderly population at the global and national level, Mehmet Başcıllar, the Lecturer from Istanbul Gelisim University Social Service Department, stated that 1.3 million elderly individuals live alone at home according to current data. Stating that the psychosocial effects of not leaving the house and living alone for about a month have been extremely severe, Başcıllar said: “According to the research conducted with 44 thousand people diagnosed with coronavirus in China, 88% of those who lost their lives due to the virus are 60 years and older. This spooky rate explains the importance of the measures taken better.”

Reminding that the elderly population of Turkey continue to stay at home since a month, Mehmet Başcıllar said: “Undoubtedly, this arrangement aims to protect the health of the elderly. However, the physical and psychological effects of the current situation as well as the physical effects need to be carefully examined. According to the report Turkey Statistical Institute in Turkey 65 years and older has about 7.5 million members. This number accounts for 9.1 percent of Turkey's population. According to the current report of the ministry, 1.3 million elderly people live alone at home. The fact that the young population may be a carrier of the virus and isolation measures have long been causing family members to visit their loved ones.”

“DON’T FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES”

Başcıllar emphasized that loneliness related to long isolation increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and dementia and decreases the life span, said: “In a study conducted with 480 thousand participants in Finland, it was found that the risk of death due to heart attack increased by 25 percent in individuals who felt lonely and isolated. Alzheimer's disease symptoms were observed in 32 percent of the participants who stated that they felt lonely in a study conducted in the USA. According to another study conducted in America, long term isolation and loneliness is as dangerous as 15 cigarettes a day. The importance of psychosocial services will be much better understood for the elderly living alone in Turkey, given that they have not been able to go out of the house for a long time, such as about a month, and that they live alone and cannot physically come together with their family members.”

WHAT POLICIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR THE ELDERLY?

Noting that the spiritual and social dimension of the measures taken on older individuals should not be ignored, Başcıllar said: “Although the basic needs of the elderly are met by law enforcement officers such as police and gendarmerie personnel, the structure responsible for the services to be provided to elderly individuals is the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services. In this challenging period, there is a need for hiring social workers and recruiting for psychosocial services to be provided to older individuals. The elderly people who are left alone at home need to have a video call with their loved ones frequently. In addition, it is necessary to establish the infrastructure that will provide the services offered in the psychosocial field online, and to ensure coordination between public institutions and voluntary organizations. The presence of social workers in the Social Sciences Board is extremely valuable for effective social policies to be developed for elderly individuals during the epidemic period."