Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1459407
14 Unity SUNDAY 13 MARCH 2022 Dr Christian Borg-Xuereb Gerontology and Dementia Studies THE world's population is rapidly ageing. Indeed, the proportion of the world's older adults is estimated to almost double from about 12% to 22%, between 2015 and 2050. In absolute terms, this is an expected increase from 900 million to 2 billion people over the age of 60. This is one of the most significant demographic and socioeconomic devel- opments that is happening on a global scale. Malta is not exempt from this phe- nomenon, as about 20% of the Maltese population is already over the age of 60%. Ageing is not a homoge- nous process; indeed, re- search shows that we be- come increasingly diverse as we get older. However, older people sometimes face certain physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognised and addressed. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It af- fects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. It al- so helps determine how we handle stress, relate to oth- ers, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, includ- ing as we age. Many older adults are at risk for mental health problems. But this does not mean that mental health problems are a nor- mal part of ageing. Studies show that most older adults feel satisfied with their lives, even though they may have more illnesses or physical problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has put older people in a dis- advantageous position. Age- ism and age discrimination violated the human rights of older persons and exac- erbated inequalities in dif- ferent ways, including leav- ing older persons behind in our increasingly digitalized world. For example, ageist assumptions make it more difficult for older persons to get equal access to medical care. The use of telemedi- cine and remote technology sharply increased during the pandemic without equiva- lent attention to improving digital literacy and access to digital technology, infra- structure and devices. This aggravated inequalities in the enjoyment of the right to health and social interac- tions by older persons owing to the existing digital divide and exclusion from infor- mation related to the pan- demic and health care when provided only in digital or non-accessible formats. Many older adults man- age to adjust to important life changes, including the death of a loved one, retire- ment, dealing with a serious illness, or the fear of con- tracting a disease. However, some older people will have more trouble adjusting, es- pecially due to the demands of COVID-19, such as iso- lation. This can put them at risk for mental disorders such as depression and anx- iety. The impact of depression on health in older adults can be severe; much research has reported that depres- sion is associated with poor- er health outcomes in old- er people with conditions like heart disease, diabetes, stroke or if they develop de- mentia. Depression can complicate the treatment of these con- ditions, including making it more difficult for someone to care for him- or herself and to seek treatment when needed. In older adults, de- pression may be disregard- ed as frailty, or it may be viewed as an inevitable re- sult of life changes, chronic illness, and disability. Old- er persons themselves may not recognise or understand their symptoms and instead refer to physical symptoms. Apart from the rampant ageism, the isolation caused by the ongoing pandemic has had a negative impact on many intimate relation- ships, even more so older people. Restrictions im- posed on older people may have isolated this age group specifically from interacting with others. As opportunities to inter- act in the outside world be- come more limited, the risk on developing mental health disorders is exponentially increased. After almost 2 years into this pandemic, we need to proactively work on system- atically assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on older people's mental health and address it. Prof. Charles Scerri Associate Professor in Dementia Studies JIMMY* was a good friend to my father and a joyful compan- ion during the weekends when he occasionally came over for lunch. As a retired engineer, his hands could do marvels that the rest of us could only dream of. Living on the same street, I grew up kicking ball with Robert*, his only son, now a well-respected lawyer. But one day, Jimmy called the police on not finding his beloved Ford Escort which he painstak- ingly had restored back to its for- mer glory. That beauty became the love of his life following the death of his wife due to cancer. But his car was not stolen. It was parked round the corner. He simply forgot. And that is how his journey into Alzheimer's began. At first it was his sporadic forgetting. On hindsight, Robert knew that something was amiss. A few weeks prior to the car incident, Jimmy was complaining of hav- ing a hard time finding his 'stuff'. So, Robert decided to take away his car keys and with that, a big chunk of Jimmy's independence was gone, forever. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It is characterised by loss of memory, impairment in communication and decline in activities of daily living. It is a progressive disorder slowly eating away brain cells in parts of the brain that control cognition. It is the betrayal of the mind as it erases who we are. In the Maltese Islands, there Confessions of a nobody A brief thought about life, death and dementia Mental health and COVID-19 in an ageing population As opportunities to interact in the outside world become more limited, the risk on developing mental health disorders is exponentially increase Mental health, and COVID-19