1
The impact of COVID-19
to date on older people’s
mental and physical health
Age UK is a registered charity (number 1128267) and a company limited by guarantee (number 6825798).
The registered address is Tavis House, 1–6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA. ID204552 10/20.
2
Introduction
This study reinforces what Age UK has been frequently hearing from
older people during the last six months: that many are deeply afraid
of COVID-19 - and understandably so. As a result, even though the
number of COVID cases reduced over the summer, a significant
proportion of older people still stayed at or close to home. Now that
cases are rising again they will be all the more cautious.
If you are an older person, staying at home
may help to protect you from the virus but,
as this report shows, it can lead to other
serious problems: for example, loss of
function - mobility and balance especially
as a result of moving around less; pain
from untreated medical conditions that
will often have got worse these last few
months; and the psychological impact of
living with so much stress, uncertainty and
isolation, leading to increased loneliness
among other problems.
Sadly, taken together these findings paint
a picture of a substantial group of older
people who have been left frightened,
depressed and very much alone. Some
said they could no longer take pleasure
in the things they used to enjoy, and with
no end yet in sight to the pandemic they
found it hard to have hope for the future.
Others were acutely conscious that time
is not on their side. When life returns to
some normality they thought it might
be too late for them, those with serious
health conditions especially.
Older people are typically extremely
resilient and self-sufficient but COVID-19
and our policy responses to it pose them
with unique challenges. This research was
carried out in the summer. With winter
fast approaching, how are these older
people feeling now, and how much worse
will they feel in two-or three-months’ time
as the weather gets colder and the nights
draw in?
That is why this study is a wake-up call for
us all. Older people, those on their own
especially, are going to need our support
more than ever this winter to help them
get through. But it is also a call to action
for policymakers too. Ministers need to
resist the ageist siren calls to shut older
people away and let the virus rip. Getting
test and trace working properly is surely
the only way of overcoming the dual
threats to our health and our economy,
and that’s where Government should
focus its attention.
Caroline Abrahams,
Charity Director, Age UK
3
Who have we spoken to?
To understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on older
people’s physical and mental health we consulted with older people,
their friends, families, and loved ones.
Our research was made up of:
A survey promoted across the Age UK
social media channels for two weeks in
August 2020. The survey was completed
by 569 people- 369 respondents were
older people themselves and 200
answered on behalf of an older person.
Over half of respondents were over the
age of 70. Of the older people we spoke
to who told us their sex, 278 were female
and 78 were male.
Representative online polling of 1,364
people over the age of 60, conducted by
Kantar Polling in September 2020. Of the
people polled, nearly half were over the
age of 70 and 40% were already living
with a long-term condition before the start
of the COVID-19 pandemic
1
.
This briefing presents our findings on the impact of the pandemic on older people’s
physical and mental health. Our research also explored how the pandemic is
impacting on older people’s access to social care and to the NHS. We will be
publishing these findings shortly in a separate briefing.
1. Research Express provides quick, reliable market research. Research Express is
part of Kantar UK Ltd. The survey was conducted on the Research Express Online
Omnibus amongst 1364 UK adults aged 60+ from 20th August – 3rd September
2020.
4
Physical health
While some older people have used the last few months as an
opportunity to do more exercise and improve their fitness, our
research suggests that many have seen their health deteriorate in
the face of isolation and reduced opportunities to socialise and be
physically active – sometimes drastically so.
Mobility and movement
As geriatricians predicted would occur, being closeted away at home for long periods
has left significant numbers of older people with reduced mobility and experiencing
deconditioning, muscle weakness, and joint pain. Day-to-day activities, such as going
upstairs or washing, have suddenly become difficult, and previously independent older
people have become reliant on walking aids to move short distances, which they used
to managed with ease. Reduced mobility has a knock-on effect, and older people told
us that they had put on weight, were experiencing joint and muscle pain, and feeling
consistently low.
We asked older people how their health has changed since the start of
the pandemic:
z One in three have less energy
z One in four older people are unable
to walk as far as before
z One in five feel less steady on their
feet
i
“Mum used to catch buses to the
next town and walk across town and
back home on the bus. Now she is
struggling to walk down the path.”
(Family member of female, 85-89)
“Reduced exercise has led to weight
gain, increased blood pressure and
unstable blood sugar.”
(Male, 65-69)
“Having already had health
problems, it’s been accelerated
and have lethargy, no strength
and walking problem. As I was fine
before, feel life has been cut short.”
(Female, 70-74)
“Loss of mobility during house arrest.
Unable to take daily walks.”
(Male, 85-89)
“Dependence on walking devices
is now complete - this worries her
as she is losing any hope that she
will ever be able to walk without
support again. Her reclining chair -
which was chosen especially to fit
her - is the only chair she can sit in
comfortably now, possibly because
she has so rarely used anything else
for the last few months, and sitting
upright is a problem. I fear her back
is losing strength”
(Family member of female, 75-79)
ii
5
Diet and malnutrition
Low mood, lack of support for meal preparation, deteriorating physical health, and
increased pain has impacted on some older people’s appetite and diet. We heard from
friends and family who were concerned that their loved ones had stopped eating or
drinking and were losing weight. Older people themselves told us they had lost interest
in food and had stopped eating enough.
z Of the older people we polled who already had difficulty preparing food
before lockdown, more than one in three (35%)
2
reported that this was now
more difficult to do
iii
.
“Dementia has deteriorated
considerably in lockdown. We have
not been able to visit her in her flat
to help with reminders about eating,
sort out cupboards and help with
meal prep. She has lost weight.”
(Family member of female, 85-89)
“Dementia has accelerated. Now
95% liquid diet, whereas before he
would eat sandwiches, meals, crisps,
cake, biscuits. Now nothing!”
(Partner of male, 70-74)
“When she’s really low she loses
interest in the things she used to
do for fun. She also struggles to eat
and loses her appetite which is quite
dangerous for her as she has a slim,
delicate frame.”
(Friend of female, 75-79)
“Lost weight and struggling to eat
due to severe COPD, but mental
health affected this too as daughter
could not visit due to shielding and
mental health day centre closed”
(On behalf of female, 70-74)
“Mobility decreased which had an
effect on pain and caused her to stop
eating.”
(Family member of female, 75-79)
iv
2. Please note, the base for this statistic is based on a sample of fewer
than 100 people (89).
6
New and emerging cognitive decline
Some friends and families of older people reported that lack of
mental stimulation and socialising throughout the pandemic has left
their loved ones more forgetful, confused, and repeating the same
conversations. Older people themselves sometimes told us they were
finding it harder to remember things.
z One in five older people agreed that since the start of lockdown,
they are finding it harder to remember things
v
“More forgetful, rambling speech,
bringing up memories no one has
heard before”
(Family member of female, 80-84)
“Lack of visitors and loss of
library large print books has all
contributed to deterioration in
mental sharpness”
(Family member of female, 80-84)
“She’s got more confused as she was
not allowed her routine of going to
the shops and she could not see all
of her family members.”
(Family member of female, 75-79)
vi
7
Older people affected by dementia
Over the course of lockdown older people living with dementia
have been significantly impacted by the sudden changes to routine,
access to services, and reduced ability to maintain regular contact
with family and friends. Carers, families, and friends of people living
with dementia have told us that they have seen rapid deterioration
in their loved one’s cognitive function, which has affected memory,
sleep, mood, and behaviour. They explained how hard it has been to
help someone with dementia to understand why they cannot do the
things they enjoy or see the people they love. A survey conducted by
Alzheimer’s Society with people living with dementia found similar
findings, with 82% of people affected by dementia reporting an
increase in dementia symptoms during lockdown, including memory
loss, difficulty concentrating, and agitation or restlessness
vii
.
“She’s in a care home and has
dementia and gets so upset when we
can’t go near her and we just can’t
get her to understand why”
(Family member of female, 85-89)
“My Dad was admitted to hospital
following internal bleeding. Being in
hospital with dementia alone with no
visitors and not understanding where
he was or where we were has really
traumatised him. Dad’s dementia
has been much worse since the
hospital stay. He can’t understand
that home is home and wakes in the
night several times confused and/
or getting dressed. He always used
to sleep at night really well. The
hospital stay on his own with no
visitors has 100% changed Dad and
it must be awful for him trying to
make sense of everything now.”
(Family member of male, 85-89)
“My mum has dementia and she is
in a care home which I visited daily.
She could not understand why we
couldn’t see her. She gets quite sad
and her health deteriorated causing
her to fall.”
(Family member of female, 95-99)
“The dementia has got worse as
lockdown stopped the centre she
attended 5 days a week.”
(Family member of female, 85-89)
“Two months into the pandemic she
became more confused. Started to
leave her home alone. Wandering
the streets day and night. I couldn’t
keep her safe at home even with help
from carers. She had to move into
a care home. And she hasn’t seen
her family since that day, no visiting
allowed yet.
(Family member of female, 85-89
)viii
8
Older people with long-term health
conditions and those asked to shield
Those with pre-existing health conditions (particularly those advised
to ‘shield’) have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic.
Although restrictions were placed on all our lives, people who are
classed as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) were advised not
to leave the house at all. Even those people who weren’t advised
to shield, but were living with long-term conditions, often took
additional precautions which have clearly taken their toll.
Not only have older people with long-term
health conditions had reduced access to
their usual healthcare, they have had their
coping methods, such as physical exercise,
support groups, or even day-to-day
routines, disrupted. On top of this, the
stress and anxiety caused by the COVID-19
pandemic has often had a knock-on effect
on their long-term health conditions. As
a result, our research suggests that many
have been struggling to manage their
conditions, with worsening symptoms,
reduced ability to complete day-to-day
activities and an increase in pain.
“Lack of usual exercise has made
Osteoporosis worse, so suffered a
fractured vertebra.”
(Female, aged 70-74)
“I have not been able to access my
local swimming pool which is a huge
help in maintaining my mobility and
managing my weight. I have not
been able to fully access support
from the weight management group
I am a member of and because of
this I have gained weight which
makes it more likely that my
joint replacement surgery will be
further delayed”
(Female, 60-64)
“Stress and anxiety always make
my ME/CFS symptoms worse - and
anxiety over reduced support at
home and family member health
hasn’t helped.”
(Female, 70-74)
“Arthritis knee got worse as have
been unable to swim.”
(Female, 80-84)
“Put weight on due to lack of
exercise and affected arthritis.”
(Male, 65-69)
“My Meniere’s disease has been
worse, I often feel sick, because of
stress and anxiety.”
(Female, 75-79)
ix
9
We also heard:
Older people with long-term health
conditions and those asked to shield
Older people living with long-term health conditions are more likely to report seeing
a decline in their health:
z 33% of older people living with long-
term health conditions report feeling
less steady on their feet, compared to
8% of those without
z 43% of people with a long-term
health condition are unable to walk
as far as before, compared to 13% of
people without a long-term health
condition
z 24% of people with a long-term
health condition say they are now
less independent, compared to 8%
of those without a long-term health
condition
z 28% of people with a long-term
health condition say they are finding
it harder to remember things,
compared to 12% of those without
x
We asked older people who were already struggling with activities of daily living
before the pandemic how their ability to do these activities had changed since the
start of the pandemic:
z Two in five (39%) are finding it harder
to walk short distances
z Two in five (41%) are finding it harder
to clean/tidy their house
z One in three (33%) are finding it
harder to walk up and down the
stairs
xi
10
Mental health and
emotional well-being
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on older people’s mental
health. Older people with pre-existing mental health conditions have
seen an increase in the severity of their symptoms, while others are
struggling for the first time.
Anxiety
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety, with older people telling us they are
worried about contracting COVID-19, about the wellbeing and safety of their family,
and about the future. For some older people, the anxiety has been debilitating, leading
to panic attacks and physical symptoms which are having a profound impact on their
day-to-day lives.
One in three (34%) older people agree that their anxiety is now worse or much
worse than before the start of the pandemic
4
.
“Due to the stress and anxiety I have
experienced severe headaches and
migraine type attacks of flashing
light in the eyes. Also frightened to
go to hospital when offered when
I felt extremely anxious on one
occasion.”
(Male, 70-74)
“Anxiety attacks, last experienced
over 20 years ago, returned once
strict lockdown was lifted.”
(Female, 70-74)
“Had no support at all, my anxiety is
off the scale, my OCD is worse. I have
been out once since early March,
having no family made it worse”
(Female, 65-69)
“Lack of sleep and general anxiety
knock one sideways.”
(Male, 65-69)
“I’m sleeping less well than ever
and at times have felt crippled by
anxiety.”
(Female, 70-74)
“I thought I would be ok as I am
quite a solitary person anyway, but
I find I’m having huge mood swings,
and almost panic attacks for no
apparent reason. My blood pressure
feels high and many mornings I wake
with my heart racing and a thumping
headache”
(Female, 70-74)
xii
11
COVID-19 related anxiety
Older people have clearly heard the messages about their increased
vulnerability to COVID-19 and many are now very anxious about
leaving the house. We heard that older people are worried the public
aren’t following the guidelines and are scared that they will contract
COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die. Many face a double-edged
sword where they are afraid of leaving the house but at the same
time cannot cope with the loneliness and isolation at home.
z In the last 7 days, 37% of people
over the age of 70 have not left
their home at all or have only left for
work, exercise, basic needs, or health
reasons. Meanwhile, 1 in 20 people
aged over 70 have not left their
home at all.
z 31% of people 70 say they feel
unsafe or very unsafe when outside
of their home due to the pandemic.
z 45% of people aged 70+ say that
they are either uncomfortable or
very uncomfortable leaving their
house because of the coronavirus
pandemic
xiii
“I feel trapped and deserted as
no visitors plus it’s no use going
anywhere because it’s too risky.
Last time I went out to the bank a
young woman coughed in my face! I
worried for 14 days after in case she
had the virus and I felt quite ill and
panicky.”
(Female, 75-79)
“Covid has made me into a hermit
afraid to go out and when I do I just
want to get things done and get
back home again to the safety of my
home.”
(Male, 65-69)
“ I just feel so scared to go out, my
depression has a knock on effect
on my pain, not being able to go
outside means my mind keeps going
round in circles making me more
depressed. No conversations, no
laughter, in debt and overweight
from takeaways, I feel unloved and
unwanted.”
(Female, 55-59)
“More fearful. More aware of one’s
own mortality”
(Male, 70-74)
“Not shielded but I consider myself
very vulnerable ..so isolation is
difficult...don’t want to risk leaving
the house.”
(Male, 75-59)
xiv
12
Low mood and depression
Some older people told us that they are feeling down, have lost
pleasure and purpose in their lives, and feel as if every day is the
same. We were sometimes told that there is nothing for them to look
forward to and sadly a proportion even questioned whether their life
is worth living.
z The proportion of over 70s
experiencing depression has doubled
since the start of the pandemic
xvi
z More than one in three over 60s
(36%) say they are feeling less
motivated to do the things they used
to enjoy
xvii.
“I wake up in the morning, just
another day, unable to go out or have
visitors, feel like a prisoner in my own
home. Nothing to look forward to.”
(Male, 75-59)
“Has made me more on edge, and
alone, I go shopping once a week and
that’s my only time out, usually my
garden is all painted and pruned but
I have done nothing. Feel I have no
purpose, no energy, just don’t want
to be here.”
(Female, 60-64)
“It has made me feel that I would
like to get off this bus at times and
that feeling is quite foreign to me”
(Female, 80-84)
“Every day trying to find something
to do to stop boredom. Sometimes
wish I could go to sleep and not
wake up.”
(Female, 65-69)
“She has lost motivation and mainly
spends her time sitting alone at
home. She has also only been in
contact with 3 people, mainly on
the phone, since March and this has
caused a massive deterioration in
her mental health. She has recently
talked about wanting to kill herself.”
(Family member of older female,
80-84)
xv
13
Worry about the future
Some older people are worried about what the future holds and
fear that their lives will never be the same again. They are scared
about the prospect of a second wave and lockdown, particularly if
this takes place in the winter months. Looking forward, many older
people expect their quality of life to be diminished, with two in five of
the people we surveyed saying they anticipate their quality of life to
be poor or very poor in the next six months
xviii
.
z 25% of people over 70 are unsure
when their lives will return to normal
z 31% think it will take over a year for
their lives to return to normal
z 9% don’t think their lives will ever
return to normal
xx
Many older people cannot see an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am frightened and feel my life will
never be the same and fear for all
my family”
(Female, 85-89)
“It has made me rather fearful for
the future for my family and society.
Dealing with a possible second wave
during the winter months will be
more challenging and I think it will
be hard to remain positive for much
of the time. A strict lockdown with no
contact again does worry me”
(Female, 75-79)
“I feel that this is never going to
end. I don’t feel safe at all, feel very
vulnerable and scared”
(Female, 65-69)
“My main concern, like that of many
elderly people, is that the situation
will deteriorate. Health tests, already
past the date for review, will not be
given priority as they are deemed
‘non-urgent’
(Female, 75-79)
xiv
14
Self-neglect
We heard from older people, and their friends and family, that low
mood was in some cases leading to self-neglect, with older people
not washing, taking care of their appearance, eating, going outside,
or cleaning their house. For many of these older people this was
completely out of character.
“She has become a completely
different person. I don’t see that
she will ever get her old life back.
She looks unrecognisable - has lost
motivation to wash, do her hair.”
(Family member of older female,
80-84)
“I just sit, I know I should get up
every now and again due to other
health reasons. I go days without
showering, lost all energy to self-
care”
(Female, 65-69)
“Feel really down a lot and can’t
always be bothered to get dressed
and go out.”
(Female, 70-74)
“Staring at the same four walls and
a similar daily routine. Failing to
engage in daily household activities,
washing up and hoovering etc., even
though they are able”
(Family member of female, 80-84)
“Difficulty in dealing with everyday
challenges. Negative attitude. Angry
and impatient with others. Expresses
suicidal thoughts. Lack of pride in
appearance”
(Family member of female, 75-79)
“They have become very isolated,
bored, now sleeping all the time and
lacking interest in activities in the
home that they used to enjoy. Very
difficult to get them to stay awake to
eat and drink.”
(Answering on behalf of female,
65-69)
“This lady who lives alone and
has been isolated since March
has lost the will to live and has
stopped eating”
(Family member of female, 85-89)
xxi
15
Bereavement
Older people who have lost a loved one during the pandemic
explained how traumatic and distressing this experience has been.
Not only were they unable to say goodbye but, due to lockdown, were
left grieving by themselves without support. This was made harder by
the fact that in many cases their loved ones died unexpectedly or in
traumatic circumstances, because of COVID-19.
Older people who lost a loved one before
the pandemic, and may have previously
been coping, also found that their grief
was compounded by the lockdown and
the stress of the situation. For some older
people spending time with family and
friends and trying to keep busy had been
important in helping them to come to
terms with their loss. When they were
unable to do this anymore, they were left
dwelling on the bereavement and reliving
their grief. This was especially difficult for
those who live alone and have had no
distractions to help them get through.
“He was already quite lonely after
my nan died and worked hard to
forge new friendships at 89. He then
had these friendships completely
removed from him during the
pandemic and was therefore left
very isolated. Family weren’t able
to visit and at 92 he isn’t using the
internet or interested in learning, so
he didn’t see me (his granddaughter)
for months. He also did not meet
his great grandson until he was 5
months old which really, really got
him down. He has stopped eating
and believes it may be physical,
but I have a feeling that he is now
suffering from deep depression”
(Family member of male, 90-94)
“The fact that all usual activities
show no sign of restarting added to
the trauma of my mother dying in
care home at peak of pandemic...did
not see her for the last 5 weeks of
her life.”
(Female, 65-69)
“Because of the stress and anxiety,
I have been experiencing PTS about
my late son. I have had to put his
pictures away from my view, my
husband has been anxious”
(Female, 75-79)
“Just feel like nothing matters
anymore. An email friend died of the
virus early on and within days and
without any family with him. Hard to
get over that alone.”
(Female, 60-64)
“I went backwards mentally from
worry and post-traumatic stress
became a lot worse after trying to
heal from it after the experience of
watching loved ones die slowly.”
(Female, 60-64)
“I am now on anxiety tablets, due to
losing my husband to the COVID-19.
Seeing what he went through was
heart-breaking”
(Female, 65-69)
xxii
16
Loss of confidence
Following months of staying inside, some older people have lost
confidence in completing day-to-day activities which were previously
completely normal and routine for them. Our research suggests that
understandably, older people have lost confidence in going out to
busy places or areas where they may be at higher risk of contracting
COVID-19. Worryingly, some are even feeling less confident about
leaving their home or seeing their family.
Friends and family of older people also highlighted how their loved ones felt less able to
do the things they used to enjoy and had become increasingly dependent on support
from others.
“I have found that being told what
to do and where to go makes me
feel older and therefore question
if I should be as active as I was
previously. Which in turn just
makes staying fit and well harder to
maintain”
(Male, 70-74)
“Partner has Parkinson’s disease...
COVID-19 and lockdown has
destroyed any confidence he has and
he’s now unsure both on mobility
and self-confidence.”
(Male, 75-79)
“Because she stopped being able
to use public transport or leave the
house, she has not walked outside
the house since March. Now she has
lost a lot of confidence and muscle
/ strength and can hardly walk. I
suspect she will never recover her
strength or be able to resume her
previous activities.”
(Family member of female, 85-89)
“It’s sad to see how much lockdown
has drained her confidence - gone
from someone who attended regular
groups out daily - to someone who
is scared to go over her doorstep.
Complete lack of confidence in their
ability to cope with day to day tasks
and everyday living.”
(Family member of female, 80-84)
“It has 100% changed him. His
confidence. His dietary requirements.
His ability to function without worry.
Stolen his freedom and life.”
(Partner of male, 70-74)
xxiii
17
z Two in three (64%) are less confident
using public transport
z Half (47%) are less confident going
to a hospital
z Two in five (43%) are less confident
going to the shops
z Two in five (40%) are less confident
going to a GP surgery
z One in five (17%) are less confident
leaving the house by themselves
z One in five (18%) are less confident
going for short walks outside
xxiv
We asked older people how their confidence to do different activities had changed
since the start of the lockdown. We found:
Loss of confidence
18
Loneliness
Clubs, activities, and volunteering, which older people previously
were involved with have been put on hold, while friends and family
have needed to stay away, leaving many older people feeling lonely
and isolated. While many of us have moved our lives online, there
are four million people over the age of 65 who have never used the
internet
xxv
and as such are unable to video chat with friends or family.
We heard from older people who said they had spent days without
speaking to anyone and were left feeling unloved, unwanted, and
forgotten. Many older people had also missed key milestones, such as
birthdays or anniversaries, and were worried that their relationships
with family members, such as grandchildren, would suffer. Being
separated from friends and family has been especially distressing for
those who are reaching the end of their life and fear they will spend
their last months away from their loved ones.
“Feel lost at times without human
contact. Used to be very active with
various committees but without
Zoom and all the other modern
technology not in the loop”
(Male, 70-74)
“I have cancer and having to be
shielded is so difficult. I also live
alone and to get up day after day
knowing you can’t see the people
who love you is extremely hard.
Knowing you don’t get to laugh
and make a joke on your own is no
fun. I didn’t see my son for nearly
4 months and still haven’t seen his
children. These might be my last
summer days or my last year of life
and I can’t do any of the things that
make me happy”
(Female, 70-74)
“No company... trapped indoors....
thinks he’s been deserted, and no
one cares about him”
(Family member of male, 90-94)
“Living on your own without a
garden or outside space has been
extremely difficult. I wouldn’t wish
it on anyone! Phone call once a week
feels pretty awful to be honest! No,
this has been a rotten time for me! I
am badly affected by this”
(Female, 75-79)
“All my social activities and holidays
ceased suddenly and had no contact
with anyone for the past 5 months. It
has been a very dramatic change in
everyday life, not for the better”
(Male, 75-79)
“Although I have a husband & family
I am so alone. I sit and cry for no
reason. My mood is so low as I feel
so isolated. I am now taking pills for
pain & low mood.”
(Female, 65-69)
19
Health inequalities
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing health
inequalities and there are differences among older people in how
the pandemic has been experienced. Older people from more
disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds have been more
severely affected, both mentally and physically. Older people told
us that their personal circumstances, such as not having a garden
or space or experiencing financial worries on top of the pandemic,
were making their experience of lockdown much more challenging.
This was reflected within our polling where older people from more
disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds had seen a greater
decline in their health than more advantaged older people.
z 41% of people from more
disadvantaged social grades say
they feel less motivated to do the
things they used to enjoy compared
to 30% of those from the most
advantaged
z 39% of people from more
disadvantaged social grades say
they have less energy compared
to 26% of those from the most
advantaged
z 22% of people from more
disadvantaged social grades say
they feel less steady on their feet
compared to 14% from the most
advantaged
xxvi
Older people from more disadvantaged social grades reported
being worse affected
3
:
3. We defined social grade by asking respondents which group the chief
income earner in their household belongs to: semi or unskilled manual worker;
skilled manual worker; Supervisory or clerical/ Junior managerial/ Professional/
administrator; Intermediate managerial/ Professional/ Administrative; Higher
managerial/ Professional/; Student; Retired and living on state pension only;
Unemployed (for over 6 months) or not working due to long term sickness. If the
chief income earner is retired and in receipt of an occupational pension,
respondents were asked to state what group they belonged to based on the
income earner’s previous occupation. When referring to the most advantaged
grades we mean grades ABC1 and by the most disadvantaged we mean
grades C2DE.
20
Health inequalities
Older BAME people
Evidence also shows that older BAME people have been disproportionately impacted
by the pandemic and are more likely to have experienced the worst consequences of
Covid-19.
There is emerging evidence that older BAME people may be more likely to catch
Covid-19 due to their housing or family circumstances. For example, BAME pensioners
are more likely than white people to have family who are in key worker roles, where
the risk of contact with people with Covid-19 is higher
xxiv
. They are also more likely to be
living in multigenerational households where there may be a greater risk of transmission.
Less than 2% of white people aged 70+ live in multigenerational households, while 56%
of Bangladeshi, 35% of Pakistani, 13% of Indian, 11% of Black African and 6% of Black
Caribbean people aged 70+ do.
We also know that older BAME people are at greater risk of becoming severely ill or dying
from Covid-19. This is likely to be the result of inequalities in health, with older BAME
people more likely to have some of the underlying conditions, including obesity, diabetes
and heart disease, which increase the chances of the worst outcomes from coronavirus.
These health inequalities have emerged from experiences of social and economic
inequalities, and racism, throughout older BAME people’s lives.
ONS (2020), ‘Which occupations have the highest potential exposure
to the Coronavirus (Covid-19)?’. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/
employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/
whichoccupationshavethehighestpotentialexposuretothecoronaviruscovid19/2020-05-11
Compared to the white population, black
men are 4.2 times more likely to die
from Covid-19, while black women are
4.3 times more likely.
34% of people admitted to critical care
in the UK have been BAME. Based on
population size the proportion should
be 22%.
In April and May 2020 Covid-19 was
responsible for 54% of deaths among
black people and 49% of deaths among
Asian people, compared to 44% of
deaths among white people.
xxiv
21
i. Age UK and Kantar (2020), online polling
was conducted on the Research Express
Online Omnibus amongst 1364 UK
adults aged 60+ from 20th August – 3rd
September 2020.
ii. Age UK (2020), online survey
(unpublished), conducted August 2020
and promoted via Age UK Instagram and
Facebook channels.
iii. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
iv. Age UK, online survey.
v. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
vi. Age UK, online survey.
vii. Alzheimer’s Society, ‘Worst hit:
dementia during coronavirus’. https://
www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/
files/2020-09/Worst-hit-Dementia-during-
coronavirus-report.pdf
viii. Age UK, online survey.
ix. Age UK, online survey.
x. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
xi. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
xii. Age UK, online survey.
xiii. Office for National Statistics
(2020), ‘Coronavirus and the social
impacts on Great Britain: 9 October
2020’. https://www.ons.gov.uk/
peoplepopulationandcommunity/
healthandsocialcare/
healthandwellbeing/bulletins/
rusandthesocialimpactsongreatbritain/
latest
xiv. Age UK, online survey.
xv. Age UK, online survey.
xvi. Office for National Statics (2020),
‘Coronavirus and depression
in adults, Great Britain: June
2020’. https://www.ons.gov.uk
peoplepopulationandcommunity/
wellbeing/articles/
irusanddepressioninadultsgreatbritain/
june2020
xvii. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
xviii. Age UK, online survey.
xix. Age UK, online survey.
xx. ONS, ‘Coronavirus and the social
impacts on Great Britain’.
xxi. Age UK, online survey.
xxii. Age UK, online survey.
xxiii. Age UK, online survey.
xxiv. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
xxv. Age UK (2018), ‘Digital inclusion
evidence review 2018’. https://www.
ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/
documents/reports-and-publications/
age_uk_digital_inclusion_evidence_
review_2018.pdf
xxvi. Age UK and Kantar, online polling.
References
