Better treatment, respect needed for Canada’s older adults: Op ed.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the pitfalls of how we approach ageing in our society. Currently we use a reactive, problem-based approach to ageing instead of a preventive, holistic approach.
Preventing or delaying frailty won’t prevent COVID-19, but it will help make Canadian seniors more resilient generally, it will add quality of life to remaining years and reduce the stress on our health and social services, plus on family caregivers.
And it will help us prepare for the next pandemic and/or looming social care crisis.
It is not acceptable that so many of our older adults have died during COVID-19. They are not expendable.
Older adults can have quality lives if we give them the safeguards and the supports they need – to live through the pandemic and well beyond it.” Dr. John Muscedere, Scientific Director & CEO, Canadian Frailty Network.