Celebrating International Day of Older Persons 2020

Response measures around COVID fails to reflect the diversity of experience and resilience in older age. It has ‘entrenched ageism, including age-based discrimination and stigmatization of older persons’[5] and put a focus on vulnerability over autonomy.[6] This diminished older people’s contribution to society, ability to move in public without judgement, and the dignity of acknowledgement of their diversity.

The voices, perspectives, and expertise of older people in identifying problems and solutions are sometimes not sufficiently incorporated in policymaking, particularly on subjects where older persons are affected by the decisions under consideration.[7] As noted by the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, while older people have become highly visible in the COVID-19 outbreak, their voices, opinions and concerns have not been heard.[8]

In addition to the tragic loss of life, older people have experienced social isolation and a diminution of their status as equal stakeholders in the national discourse. The language of vulnerability, frailty and protection from harm has failed to acknowledge their agency and their diversity. 

Government policy on cocooning for all over 70s did not include older people in the development of, or changes to, this policy. Government narrative presented the advice as standard for older people, rather than empowering people’s autonomy by presenting people’s risks and choices.

The blanket link of cocooning advice to physical age did not incorporate the different conditions and realities of older persons so as not to increase their social isolation and worsen their wellbeing and health outcomes.[9]

The balancing of social inclusion with clinical need was not seen in relation to cocooning. Rather than linking cocooning advice to physical health alone, age-specific cocooning advice for Ireland (e.g. for all over 70s) exacerbated negative stereotypes about older people as frail and vulnerable. The linking of cocooning to age, in turn, led to broader public narrative focusing on older people as dependent and a sense in the community that older people seen in public locations should not be there. In addition, many older people experienced a disproportionate impact on daily life as a result of Government’s lack of clarity in public health advice that cocooning was not mandatory.

Age Action heard from many older people themselves that they felt left outside the decision-making process and their voices were not heard. They felt that Government should have consulted with them and facilitated their participation in policy decisions that affect their lives.

A national poll commissioned by RTÉ in September, the details of which are released on International Day of Older Persons examined how people across the country have adapted since the start of the coronavirus crisis. 90% of teenagers saying they value their family life more now.  A focus on mental health and a desire for change in our lives were strong themes in the results. Over half (57%) of respondents said they are "re-evaluating what they are doing with their lives" since the pandemic took hold in March.

COVID-19 forces us to re-evaluate what we value in our lives. As we look to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as a society it is crucial that older people are not further left behind and that enduring inequalities which have been exacerbated as a result of the pandemic are addressed.