I would like to start by saying I have cited from a broad range of sources. I have cited from news articles with personal subjective knowledge of the cost of Isolation to peer- reviewed meta-analyses.  

                                                

There is substantial scientific and subjective knowledge, that Isolation kills. In our search to make everyone safe we caused a cascade of actions that caused the death we were trying to avoid. What I ask with this project and website is that next time we give people a choice on how they want to live. Whether that be through avenues we ourselves think is unsafe, to the choice to isolate themselves.  

 

The first article I would like to site is a Meta-analytic review. The review was studying the isolation and loneliness as risk factors for mortality (Holt-Lunstad, et al. 2015). Seventy Reports were included in this meta-analysis. The mean age of the participants were sixty-six years of age and followed on average 7.1 years (Holt-Lunstad, et al. 2015). The conclusion of this review is that there is substantial evidence that people with a deficiency in social connections both subjective and objective isolation are in peril of premature mortality. (Holt-Lunstad, et al. 2015).

                                                                            

“Social Isolation results in higher likelihood of mortality, whether measured objectively or subjectively. Cumulative data from seventy independent prospective studies, with 3,407,134 participants followed for an average of 7 years, revealed a significant effect of social isolation, loneliness, and living alone on odds of mortality. After accounting for multiple covariates, the increased likelihood of death was 26% for reported loneliness, 29% for social isolation, and 32% for living alone. This data indicated essentially no difference between objective and subjective measures of social isolation when predicting mortality.” (Holt-Lunstad, et al. 2015, pg. 223).

 

I also reviewed a more recent case report on the impact of the Covid-19 quarantine on the suicidality in Geriatric Inpatients. It studied three cases in New York city all of the patients studied were over 65 years of age, with no past psychiatric history, and no past relevant medical history (Hophing, M. et al. 2022). The study found that the elderly citizens especially susceptible the covid-19 restrictions, and rhetoric; with the interference of regular health-care services, prolonged isolation/quarantines, isolation from friends, family, and human touch in general (Hophing, M. et al. 2022). This led to being unable to adapt to the stress, isolation, and changes within society (Hophing, M. et al. 2022). Which lead to the act of self harm. This suicidality from isolation and stress was very visible within the medical field especially in nursing homes (Hophing, M. et al. 2022).      

   

“Given the high degree of stress associated with the pandemic, those employing immature defense mechanisms could be at risk for a greater degree of psychiatric symptoms as their ability to adapt to ongoing stress to be tested. We anticipate an increase in the burden of psychological distress and suicidality in geriatric-aged individuals during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.” (Hophing, M. et al. 2022, pg.553).

 

I also referenced subjective news articles for a community view on the matter rather than a scientific study. The first article sent around a survey to 365 nursing homes in 36 states, what came back was distressing (Seegert, L. 2020). One resident stated that “If the virus doesn’t kill me the loneliness will”, another said “I have little appetite and am losing weight” (Seegert, L. 2020, pg. 1). This article really struck home for me it’s what I have seen and stated for three years. With me only being an LNA I have no control over what has happened to my residents. Directly quoting from the article:

 

“We’ve come a long way in understanding how to keep people safe, and also need to understand that the quality of life is paramount for people later in life, who are often in their last two or three years of life,” said Anne Montgomery, co-director of Altarum’s Program to Improve Eldercare. “Being restricted for six months is a very big percentage of their remaining lifetime and very obviously devastating. So, we would hope that this would be a further signal that we need to move away from such restrictions  permanently.” (Seegert, L. 2020, pg. 1).

 

But that is not what happened fear played a huge part, the nursing home I work in my residents were quarantined from their families unless they were dying for two years. With Covid hitting my work ten months into quarantine, the residents had no hope, their health had deteriorated immensely from the extended period of isolation. We lost a substantial portion of our population. 

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How could we have let this happen? With all the knowledge we have with mental health being connected to physical health. We villainized the ones who spoke out against restrictions telling them they were killing people just by walking around. We had the scientific knowledge that masks don’t have any effect on respiratory viruses. Why did we let fear control us? Why the show at the expense of other’s health?  

 

Just recently the surgeon general put out a warning “loneliness and isolation can have destructive impacts on our health as individuals and around the country” (Hughes, C. 2023). I hope we have learned from this pandemic on what not to do, hopefully the next generation will not be so quick to lock up others for safety. 

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Physical touch, social connections, the ability to move freely around society are like food and water in a sense that they are needed for our survival. Let us not do such damage to our oldest and wisest ever again.

 

 

References 

 

Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and 

Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review. Perspectives on 

Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi-

org.libproxy.plymouth.edu/10.1177/1745691614568352

 

            

Hophing, M., Zimmerman-Winslow, K., Basu, A., & Jacob, T. (2022). The Impact of COVID-19 and Quarantine on Suicidality in Geriatric Inpatients- A Case Report. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, Vol. 35(4), 550-534. DOI: 10.1177/08919887211023588 

Journals.sagepub.com/home/jgp

 

Hughes, C. (2023, May 2). Surgeon general: Epidemic of loneliness can cause major health issues. UPI. https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/05/02/surgeon-general-loneliness-isolation-health/6191683041028/ 

Seegert, L. (2020, October 20). Covid-19 is taking a huge emotional toll on nursing home residents. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/covid-19-is-taking-a-huge-emotional-toll-on-nursing-home-residents