THOUGHT PROCESS OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN COVID TIME – by N.S.Venkataraman

Old Age

Several scholars around the world have unambiguously pointed out that humanity is the same all over the world, irrespective of the regions in which people live . This implies that under similar circumstances, people around the world react almost in the same way. The present ongoing COVID crisis has proved this contention beyond doubt.

All over the world,people belonging to the younger generation generally think that they still have a long period to live and are, therefore,focused on improving their career and business prospects ,acquiring wealth, bringing up the family and seeking pleasure. Though they are aware of the fact that the end of life would inevitably happen , they mostly assume that such an end day is far off and they need not be concerned at the present time.

However, the thought process of aged people are markedly different from those of the younger ones ,as the people passing through old age are glaringly aware that their end day may not be far off, even though they too are tempted to think or conveniently assume that such day would be some time away.

However, the present COVID crisis has brought about a significant change in the thought process, particularly of the senior people who are constantly made to think that their end day could be not too far off. This is particularly due to the fact that the medical professionals say that immunity level of the individuals is the best barrier for the COVID virus and it is known that the immunity level of aged people are inevitably low.

In such circumstances, the senior citizens are undergoing mental stress. Every time they sneeze or cough or get a sore throat or slight feverish feeling, they start worrying as to whether the virus has attacked them. Not only the senior citizens but even the younger ones who see the senior citizens sneezing or coughing conclude that they could be COVID patients.

Now, in several places, governments insist that day to day testing of the people is necessary to ensure that they are not COVID patients. In some places, the government sponsored volunteers visit every house every day and ask the inmates , particularly the senior citizens, to undergo a temperature check up with the instrument that the volunteer carries. It is pathetic to see the senior citizens subjecting themselves to such tests by semi educated volunteers and shivering as to what would be the results and heave a sigh of great relief when they are told that the temperature is normal.

Added to this, the statement released by the governments every day on the COVID scenario not only indicate the number of people who died due to COVID but also reveal the age groups to which they belong and state the percentage of people who are senior citizens. One gets an impression that the government appears to lay stress that amongst those who die , the senior citizens form a big chunk of them, which certainly creates a sense of shiver amongst senior citizens.

The advocacy of the government that senior citizens should particularly take care of their health conditions, confine themselves to the home throughout the day and all day long, clearly convey the view of the medical practitioners and government that senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to COVID virus ,much more than the younger people.

These days , many senior citizens live alone with their dear and near ones living in other cities or abroad. With travel facility severely curtailed internationally and even within the nation and cities, senior citizens are helplessly conscious of the fact and are worried that they would not be able to see their dear and near ones and neither the near and dear ones can see them, in case they would become victim of COVID virus or even hospitalized due to COVID attack.

While several sections of the people are suffering due to joblessness, loss of income and such matters are much discussed, the plight of the senior citizens who undergo the mental crisis due to COVID 19 do not seem to have been adequately understood or appreciated or discussed.