SENIORS, LATINOS SAY CORONAVIRUS TAKING A TOLL ON MENTAL HEALTH, FINANCES
More than 80% of senior citizens and Latino adults reported that the coronavirus is their main concern, and more than half of those ages 65 and older and two-thirds of Latinos said the pandemic has made them anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, surveys showed.
The two surveys were commissioned by Legacy Health Endowment and EMC Health Foundation in Turlock to assess the impact of the pandemic on the two groups hardest hit by the pandemic.
“We undertook this poll to understand better how COVID-19 is impacting people 65 and older — we wanted to learn about their fears and the specific services they need so our foundation can better target our charitable dollars,” Jeffrey Lewis, president and CEO of EMC Health Foundation stated in a press release.
Lewis said there has been a lot of discussion about the pandemic’s burden on these two groups, but few conversations have included direct input from them and the charities wanted to provide services that they wanted.
LHE and EMC Health Foundation were created, as a result of the sale of Emanuel Medical Center, to promote and expand health care, mental health and spiritual health for people living within their catchment of 19 zip codes in southern Stanislaus and northern Merced counties.
SENIOR CITIZENS ARE HURTING, FEARFUL AND ISOLATED
The senior citizen survey was conducted via live telephone interviews over seven days, ending July 16, 2020. Professional interviewers, speaking Spanish or English, contacted 381 residents in EMC’s 19 zip codes via landlines or cell phones. Respondents were queried about COVID-19’s effect on their mental and emotional well-being and their ability to access food and health services.
Only 2.5% of seniors reported illness due to the coronavirus, but nearly 30% said the pandemic had taken a toll on their mental health and 1 in 5 said their physical health was affected.
Being socially isolated was burdening the majority of the survey respondents.
Many seniors reported they were afraid of catching COVID-19, so they didn’t leave their homes to get groceries and more than one-quarter thought a food delivery service would be beneficial.
Although some were afraid to go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, about 85% said they would not want a doctor or nurse practitioner to come into their home to check on them.
“The seniors are afraid of COVID-19, so they don’t want anyone, even family, coming to their house,” said Lewis.
About 1 in 5 seniors reported that high quality physical and mental health care was the most lacking resource for the aging population in their community.
Lewis said, “The polling data underscored the need for charitable dollars to help ensure that people 65 and older have access to needed care to avoid the fears identified in the poll and ensure their long-term independence.”
In response to the survey, LHE is planning new initiatives to meet some of the needs identified, including development of a meal delivery program with Covenant Care and Hospice.
Other programs being implemented include access to a full-time dietitian through Castle Family Health Services, which will help seniors plan nutritious meals, and an online portal, www.usfreemeds.org, to assist people who cannot afford to fill or refill their medications.
The website is available for prescription assistance for all ages.
LATINOS/HISPANICS STRUGGLE WITH HEALTH FEARS AND JOB LOSS
The methods were similar for the survey among 400 Latinos, though it was performed earlier in the pandemic, over a seven-day period ending May 31.
Among respondents, about 25% had lost their job or closed their business due to the coronavirus, and 43.5% reported this was significantly impacting their ability to pay rent or bills and buy food. More than 24% feared losing their homes.
Almost half of Latinos reported the pandemic was having a significant effect on their physical and mental health. Despite the identified need, respondents said they were not able to find physical health care (24%) or mental health services (32%).
Similar to the senior citizen respondents, Latinos identified high quality physical and mental health care as the main resource lacking in the community for their population.
Keeping or achieving good physical and mental health was the most common desire for more than one-third of Latino respondents, surpassing concerns for finances, children and housing.
Before the pandemic, LHE started the First Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center offering telehealth mental health counseling to people younger than 26. The program also offered in-person counseling at Patterson and Denair Public Schools, as well as the Atwater Valley School.
With the survey results, they are expanding access to this program to anyone, regardless of age. The phone number is 209-548-2356.
“From the surveys, I get 30,000 ideas,” Lewis said. “The objective, from the charitable perspective, is to help everyone in our geographic area. Whether it’s food security programs, or medical care, cost of prescription drugs or with mental health care.”
This was originally published by the Modesto Bee.