1 in 4 aged over 60 in health dip

THE health of many pensioners has deteriorated during the pandemic, piling further pressure on the broken care system, a major survey showed yesterday.

Age UK found a quarter of over-60s – almost four million – believe their ability to do everyday tasks has declined over the past year.

The charity said living through fear, enforced isolation and inactivity caused by the pandemic has sharply accelerated the social care needs of significant numbers of the elderly population.

The survey found that the situation had become worse as pensioners were cooped up in their homes for very long periods.

Age UK said muscles have weakened, balance and flexibility have been undermined, and in many cases dementia has progressed more quickly than would otherwise be expected. This means more people will require social care than had been thought.

The research also found that 1.2million over-60s who had difficulty with stairs before the first lockdown in March last year reported this activity had become even more difficult.

Around 1.5million now struggle to walk short distances – when previously this was no challenge. The survey found that 3.8million of the over-60s – 23 per cent – found everyday activities had become tougher.

Spokesman Caroline Abrahams said: ‘The fact that the pandemic has intensified some older people’s need for care, while battering the workforce and undermining care services, means the gap between the care system we have and the one we need here in England is growing by the day.

‘With the horrors visited on care homes by Covid-19 and the heroism of our underpaid care workers still fresh in all our minds, it is more important than ever that the Prime Minister “fixes social care”.’

The analysis was based on an online survey that attracted almost 15,000 responses from older people and their carers.

Edna, who is 85 and living with multiple long-term conditions, told Age UK: ‘My mobility has deteriorated badly. I can walk to my gate but that’s all.’

Local government chiefs said that one-off government grants and the social care council tax precept were ‘sticking plaster solutions’ to the problem.