Rise in negative emotions, says charity

A HELPLINE for older people has seen a surge in suicidal ideation among those who had to ‘cocoon’ at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new report has found.

Alone, the organisation which supports older people, collaborated with The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing to publish a report examining loneliness and isolation among over-70s.

The report focuses on the impact of public health measures such as ‘cocooning’ on the mental and physical health of older people who are struggling with loneliness.

During the pandemic, Alone saw a sharp rise in callers reporting negative emotions, including suicidal ideation. Loneliness was found to have a negative effect on mental health and was associated with depressive symptoms in older people.

Physical health was also negatively affected as a result of lockdown measures, with calls indicating that older people living with chronic illnesses were limited by strict cocooning measures.

The charity said that current measures such as social distancing and cocooning are increasing levels of loneliness and social isolation among many older people, which may have a negative effect on their physical and mental well-being.

Alone CEO Seán Moynihan said: ‘Loneliness and social isolation are two of the greatest health risks for older people.

‘We have seen a huge increase in loneliness among older people as a result of the isolation experienced while cocooning.’

Since March, Alone’s National Support Line has received more than 27,000 calls for support.