During the COVID-19 pandemic, social contacts decreased in all age groups in the EU. Among older people, particularly worrying trends emerged in those aged 80+ where, in summer 2020, 18% of them reported feeling lonelier than before the pandemic and one-third had not left their home since the pandemic began.
In a recent report, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) captures the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the quality of life of older citizens. This includes the impact on their well-being, finances, employment, and social inclusion. It explores the effects on the use of care services and older people’s reliance on other support. The report presents policy measures that have been implemented in the EU Member States to support older people along all of the above-mentioned dimensions. These include measures to support independent living and schemes to support the labour market integration of older people or to prevent unemployment, all of which play a role in the quality of life of older citizens.
Read the full report here.
Read the full report here.
