Impact of covid 19 on Baltimore"s elderly population

Impact of COVID-19 on Baltimore’s Elderly Population Student Name Institution Course Professor Name Date Impact of COVID-19 on Baltimore’s Elderly Population COVID-19 has created widespread consequences that primarily affect disadvantaged communities, particularly those consisting of senior citizens. The COVID-19 pandemic made existing social, economic, and health disparities worse for Baltimore City residents, especially older adults. Baltimore’s elderly residents have faced distinctive effects from the virus because they previously dealt with multiple health issues, social detachment, and poor resource availability. The severity of COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths affected elderly populations seriously because the crisis had intensified preexisting health system inequalities, service access problems, and economic stability issues (Kyu & Marx, 2021). Urban social workers led essential work because they fought for system improvements while offering vital support services to older adults.  The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated systemic inequities for Baltimore’s elderly population, underscoring the vital role of urban social workers in providing support, advocating for change, and addressing their unique challenges. The Current State of COVID-19 in Baltimore City The COVID-19 pandemic has extended its ongoing impact on Baltimore City alongside numerous American urban centers. The virus continues to be a significant public health challenge for all communities but most notably affects vulnerable groups, including older adults (Kyu & Marx, 2021). Mueller et al. (2020) report that the older adults’ population (aged 65 and over) has persistently higher severe illness, hospitalization rates, and higher mortality because of COVID-19 than younger population groups. Health inequality worsens because of health conditions that already exist in individuals, as well as their inability to access medical care and societal factors, including poverty and unstable housing conditions (Van Jaarsveld, 2020). The city uses vaccination drives, mobile testing units, and public health campaigns that specifically aim to control the impact of COVID-19 on high-risk populations. Insufficient progress has been made to protect the elderly population due to several obstacles that include vaccine doubt, untruthful information, and built-in health system inequalities. The long-term hardships from the pandemic continue to burden Baltimore’s elderly population through social separation, emotional disorders, and financial instabilities. Description of the Selected Population The Baltimore City area contains many elderly citizens from different racial groups, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic levels. Among them are the 65 age individuals. The United States Census Bureau (2020) reports that Baltimore residents who exceed 65 constitute 14.9% of the population, and one in five of this group goes without sufficient income to meet basic needs. Older people who live in Baltimore encounter multiple barriers through their existing health problems, physical disabilities, and feeling socially disconnected from others. Elderly residents face multiple hardships because of both individual factors and institutional barriers that include racial inequalities, health access problems, and weak social care networks. These vulnerabilities of isolated communities have worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Baltimore’s older adults tend to reside in households with multiple generations, which raises their chances of virus transmission. During the pandemic, many senior citizens depended critically on public transportation and community services, which stopped operating, restricting their ability to reach necessities like food supplies, medications, and necessary medical treatment (Van Jaarsveld, 2020).  There is a clear divide in digital capabilities among senior citizens because numerous older adults lack the necessary technological equipment and skills to access telehealth services, virtual grocery shopping, and online social contact channels. The System Impacted as it Relates to the Specified Population The healthcare system has suffered the most severe impacts of all affected systems. Hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities throughout Baltimore faced overwhelming pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic because they had to serve an older adult population (Kyu & Marx, 2021). Severe COVID-19 impacted older adults more during the pandemic, but their access to healthcare specialists, routine medical care, and elective procedures experienced delays because healthcare services became overloaded. The pandemic disrupted medical services, which elderly patients count on for their management of diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory conditions (Ollove, 2021). The quality of healthcare deteriorated because staffing shortages and limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) failed to provide sufficient support for older adults. The healthcare...