As Pandemic Eases, Many Seniors Have Lost Strength
Need for rehabilitative services rises as lockdown leaves many seniors in rapid physical decline
Ronald Lundquist, 87, has been active all his life. So, he wasn’t prepared for what happened when he stopped going out during the COVID-19 pandemic and spent most of his time, inactive, at home.
“I found it hard to get up and get out of bed,” said Lundquist, who lives with his wife of 67 years in Palm Springs, California. “I just wanted to lay around. I lost my desire to do things.”
Physically, Lundquist noticed that getting up out of a chair was difficult, as was getting into and out of his car. “I was praying ‘Lord, give me some strength.’ I kind of felt, ‘I’m on my way out I’m not going to make it,’” he said.
May 24, 2021 Share
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is investigating reports that young people have developed myocarditis, or heart inflammation, after being inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine.
The agency’s vaccine safety group said in a recent report that there have been “relatively few reports“ of the heart inflammation, but most tended to occur in male teenagers and young adults, usually after a second vaccine dose.
“Most cases appear to be mild, and follow-up of cases is ongoing,” the safety group said.
In another development, two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca are about as effective against the coronavirus variant first found in India as they are against the variant first found in England, according to a study by Public Health England announced Saturday.
More Seniors May Need Rehabilitative Therapy Due to Sheltering During COVID
The prospect of increased impairment and frailty among the elderly is a growing concern of health care providers.
Jasmin Merdan via Getty Images
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Ronald Lindquist, 87, has been active all his life. So, he wasn’t prepared for what happened when he stopped going out during the coronavirus pandemic and spent most of his time, inactive, at home.
“I found it hard to get up and get out of bed,” said Lindquist, who lives with his wife of 67 years in Palm Springs, California. “I just wanted to lay around. I lost my desire to do things.”