Organization of Protective Regime for Elderly Population in the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

Author(s): Mikhail A Yakushin, Roman V Gorenkov, Tatiana P Vasilieva, Alexander V Melerzanov, Oxana Yu Alexandrova, Sergei Yu Yarotskiy, Aleksandra R Malakhova, Alexey Moskalev, Evelyne Yehudit Bischof

The COVID-19 pandemic enforced societies to rapidly restructure industrial, social security, and public health care processes. Several countries, where organized anti-epidemic measures were implemented, indicated the efficacy of strict adherence to measures that flexibly balance between self-isolation and social distancing. The population group at the highest risk of mortality and morbidity, most susceptible to infection, and the impaction by stress factors – the elderly - is at the same time strongly endangered by social deprivation, mental health decrease, and suicide. It is thus especially important to establish safe leisure environments and create comfortable conditions for the elderly who live alone. Optimally, a correctly selected set of measures should facilitate efficient use of the free time to enforce physical and mental health, including aspects crucial for the individual quality of life. Here, we propose such a setting of approaches based on the pandemic experience in Russia. We outline general and specific management options that tackle the subpopulation of the elderly, rendering a positive effect on the health status of all citizens, thus at the level of public health.