COVID-19 and older adults: experience in Hong Kong

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disproportionately affects older people in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, as of 17 July 2020, of the 10 recorded mortalities, seven involved patients aged ≥70 years. Social distancing as a strategy to limit the spread of COVID-19 has restricted the access to health and community services and has induced social isolation for older people. Hospital practice became less elderly friendly when infection control took priority over humanistic considerations. In 2004, The Hong Kong Geriatrics Society published a position statement on management of older patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome. Those guidelines were also followed during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Herein, we report our experience of caring for older people in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effect on older people of restricted access to health and community services, infection control measures in residential care homes for the elderly, treatment of older patients after admission to hospitals, end-of-life care, and the emergence of telecare.