ABSTRACT
By 2025, at least one-fifth of the population of 15 countries in the Americas will be 60 or older (Pan American Health Organization, 2017). The populations of older adults in Mexico and older Latinos in the United States continue to grow dramatically (Central Intelligence Agency, 2015). Population aging is the most important, inevitable feature of the health and prosperity of both nations in the near future. In the short term, serious consequences exist for families, communities, and governmental agencies at all levels as they struggle to adapt to the needs of rapidly growing older populations while devoting adequate resources to foster economic development and full employment. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the vulnerability of the older population and the role of the economic and social determinants of health in its outcomes (Bello-Chavolla et al., 2020). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
As the coronavirus crisis spreads swiftly through the population, it takes a particularly heavy toll on minority individuals and older adults, with older minority adults at especially high risk. Given the shockingly high rates of infections and deaths in nursing homes, staying in the community appears to be a good option for older adults in this crisis, but in order for some older adults to do so much assistance is required. This situation draws attention to the need for benevolent intervention on the part of the state should older adults become ill or lose their sources of income and support during the crisis. This essay provides a brief overview of public support and the financial and health benefits for older individuals who remain in the community during the pandemic. It reports the case example of Austin, Texas, a city with a rapidly aging and diverse population of almost a million residents, to ask how we can assess the success of municipalities in responding to the changing needs of older adults in the community due to COVID-19. It concludes with a discussion of what governmental and non-governmental leadership can accomplish in situations such as that brought about by the current crisis.