COVID-19 OUTBREAK AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE ELDERLY

Abstract

This study examined Covid-19 and its Effects on the Elderly living in Ugbowo Community, Benin City, it will help throw more light to the government and citizens of covid-19 and its effects on the elderly. It would help policy makers and traditional rulers’ re-direct plans towards alleviating the social cultural effects and the impacts of covid-19 on the elderly. The objectives used for the study are to explore the social and economic impact of covid -19 on the elderly, study and seek to ascertain the implication of social work practice on elderly care during the corona virus period, determine the general effect of covid 19 on elderly care, and to determine ways of improving the care for the elderly. know the social and economic impact of covid-19 on the elderly. This suggests the possible solution to the challenges faced by the elderly as a result of covid-19 and to ascertain the implications of covid-19 on elderly to social work practice. The study used the activity theory. The study adopted survey research design. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. It was built around the research question by the researcher and validated by the supervisor. Data collected were analyzed using the simple percentage and Kendall’s measure of concordance and will be presented in frequency distribution tables. These techniques are used because they are easy to comprehend and considered adequate for the analysis. The population size for this study is ‘390’ and it was justified by Taro Yamane 1967. From the findings of the study, older people are especially vulnerable to social isolation, loneliness, and depression resulting in a significant effect on their health (Levkovich et al., 2021 & Balasundaram et al., 2021). The coronavirus outbreak has highlighted some of the barriers that the elderly has had to face, especially when it comes to the lack of access and inexperience to technology and it was recommended that programs should be launched to teach basic technological skills to the elderly, this would also provide companionship and connection within their community and combat loneliness and social isolation.