to blame lockdown on my elderly parents sudden deterioration..

[MariaAngustias]

So my sister, me and my daughter are all shocked at how my elderly parents have deteriorated in the last year. From and independent couple (Mum late 70's, Dad mid 80's) who walked for miles, did the gardening and shopping, drove around, went abroad to a couple of frail old people who have lost mobility, confidence and deteriorated so much mentally and physically. I wondered if it was lockdown and then my sister said the same thing. At first during lockdown we did not see them for months but we did zoom and ring a lot, then, as things deteriorated, we had to go in to give care. There is no way of knowing whether it is the case but I just feel like the isolation and being stuck inside has really badly affected them and I want to cry.

It's impossible to know for sure, but yes, I think the enforced confinement and isolation of lockdown will have caused many, many elderly people to deteriorate sharply in physical and mental fitness. It's use it or lose it as you get older, and once lost it often doesn't come back.

I think this is going to become a lot more evident as care homes gradually start to open their doors

I see the same thing with MIL. This time last year was driving, meeting friends, shopping etc. Lived independently.
Now totally relies on us , can’t drive, barely walks, forgetful, lost all spark. The next few months will be critical to whether she can stay in her own home or needs to go into care.
It’s heartbreaking to see.

I agree. My DM is a healthy 80 and was perfectly able to go for a decent walk and keep going all day. Within the last year (during which DF died) she has stopped going out much at all and seems to rarely go for a proper walk.

We are taking her away in the summer and I’m worried she will struggle. It’s really sad although she seems happy enough with how things are, oddly.

Absolutely the same experience here and i have heard from my Dad's carers that they are seeing this a lot among the elderly population. So sad.

I don't know. My nan went downhill very fast from having a paper round at 75 (not even joking) to barely able to leave the house by 76. This was in 2011.

My mum is the same, she moved at the beginning of lockdown and was suffering from a mild cognitive disorder

1 year later she needs daily care and has lost a lot of mobility and most remaining independence. At a recent appointment her older persons psychiatrist said that it has been a very noticeable trend amongst his patients

That’s so sad @MatildaTheCat. So sorry you lost your dad. 💐

The combination of lockdown and bereavement must have been devastating for your mum. Apparently the monotony and lack of stimulus in lockdown has caused or exacerbated a lot of memory problems.

Same experience here. It's awful to see

I'm really sorry, OP.

Agree that most of my olds seem to have become more anxious/worried, and I have been concerned about ones that live on their own. Isolation is not good for humans.

Hopefully things will start to ease back towards how they were before, perhaps some of this is going to be reversible. Here's hoping.

Yanbu OP we have noticed the same with relatives in their 70s/80s. It’s very sad to see.

Sadly, I have seen this all too often at other times as well. I don't think it is necessarily anything to do with lockdown.

Yanbu.
My dad was planning a massive party last summer. He can't cope with seeing me and DH and all the kids at the same time now.
Him and my mum haven't spent any time apart, I don't think it is healthy for my mum, she has fallen into sort of agreeing with him about everything, as if his opinion is the right one on everything (she's losing her autonomy).

I’m seeing the same with my parents. It’s heartbreaking. Isolation/lack of social contact.

I’ve noticed this as well particularly in my DM she relies on being out and about to get some mental stimulation and conversation (that she doesn’t get from DF) she now seems to struggle holding or concentrating on a conversation and seems very vague at times. I’m sure the enforced isolation of lockdown has caused this. Same as a friend has said their once outgoing (now 5 year old) DS is having trouble relating to children at school and doesn’t seem to know how to play anymore. It’s absolutely heartbreaking

My MIL Alzheimer's advanced significantly last year to the extent she is now in a care home. The staff there said that it is well.known that the lockdown and lack of social interaction and ability to even go out like they used to has had a massive deteriorating impact on older people who were already affected even just in a v small way.

Yes agree with you. A grandparent is now in a nursing home when before she was thriving in a supported living flat which kept her mentally stimulated. The lack of contact with people in real life sent her rapidly downhill.

I was discussing this with a colleague today. We have sadly seen this with a number of clients. It is heartbreaking.

Or, it could be that one of them has naturally developed dementia and the other one is exhausted and stressed out dealing with it and neither of them want to admit it or ask for help.

Old people do lose their abilities with age; not everything can be blamed on lockdown,

I have seen this deterioration in my own elderly mum and in many other older people in my work. However, I have noticed that a couple of weeks after they have been vaccinated and know they have built up some immunity to Covid, they do seem more positive. With my own mum I have found making plans has really helped in the last few weeks so she has something to look forward to. I think the usual interaction in shops, on walks, with neighbours etc is so important for retired people and has been a big loss for them in the last year. Many also feared we wouldn't ever get a vaccine in their lifetime which must have devastating for them. Social Prescribing may be something you could look at with them so they can choose community activities that suit them and help them be less isolated. You can find out more on NHS England. Hope they are soon regaining strength and social interaction. They worry about us then we worry about them! Take Care

It could be lockdown but the same thing happened to my gran. She was a very strong woman, very involved with the church and out and about all the time. As soon as she lost my granddad she declined, didn't want to be on here own and started having falls. She had to go into to supported living and died shortly after. Decline can be rapid.

The walking I think is a massive thing. MIL used to either walk round town or round car boot sales nearly every day. She hasn't walked further than the living room to the kitchen in a year and it's massively affected her legs. I can't imagine she'll ever be able to walk like she did.

Yes, I fear this is very common. Lockdown seems in many ways to have harmed the most vulnerable in our society disproportionately. My neighbour is a very cheerful and lively 82, but has lost some of her mobility. She told me the other day that she had been invited to take part in a research study (based at one of the London universities) on new cases of dementia that have emerged during lockdown. She was (rightfully) quite smug about acing all the tests, but pointed out that she can't get to the supermarket on foot any more.

Not so much physically for my mother but mentally yes, I do think that she has deteriorated and she is only 70. My father has definitely gone downhill physically (same age).

I'm mid 70s, not sure I would call myself elderly but nothing has changed for me and there must be plenty of others who are the same. I should add that I am physically disabled so my life was always reduced somewhat but it doesn't mean I don't enjoy life.