Three months of social isolation has many older Australians realising that if they want to remain independent at home, they need some form of help.
That’s one of the key takeaways from a recent survey of 500 older Australians by online aged care and disability support platform Mable, looking at the mood of Australians post-lockdown.
Their research found Older Australians used a range of support services during the pandemic, including domestic assistance (31%), support from healthcare professionals such as GPs (26%) or social support and companionship (20%).
And many are now starting to see the value of in-person assistance during times of uncertainty.
“In the early months of COVID-19 restrictions, we saw many older Australians become isolated as it was widely understood they could be particularly vulnerable to the virus,” said Mable CEO Peter Scutt.
“Unfortunately, this saw many parents and grandparents isolate themselves not only from family and friends, but in some cases from their support networks, independent support workers or providers, often choosing to go without services they considered not absolutely essential. However, what may not be essential for a week or two, may well be essential by week three or four.”
While only 13% of Australians over 70 were seeking support before the pandemic, Mable now expects this number to skyrocket to 83% over the next 12 months.
“The research shows that these types of connections were incredibly valued during COVID-19, and will continue to be as we exit lockdown restrictions,” Scutt added.
If you or someone you know needs support, you can find out more about home care services and search for providers on agedcare101 here.
