Practical Solutions to Address COVID-19-Related Mental and Physical Health Challenges Among Low-Income Older Adults

Abstract

Low-income older adults are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this perspective article, we review the context in which low-income older people experience the pandemic and the mental and physical health consequences they have faced to date. Then, we offer practical solutions to help improve low-income older adults' sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and stress that require no or low financial commitment. We argue that governments, communities, and organizations should make greater efforts to promote healthy living for low-income older adults in times of health emergencies to ensure their ability to be universally adopted, regardless of income and resources.

Neutralizing a Springboard for Inflammation: Physical Activity to Control the Immune Network

“…An effect that seemed to be even more significant with higher BMI and appeared to be stronger following regular 'breaks', as compared to a single, extended, light-to-moderate exercise session [26]. Interestingly, the primary findings of these meta-analyses directly address recently identified relevant biomarkers of deteriorating health in the elderly [23]. And in line with these findings, interrupting prolonged sitting is currently generally advised as a preferred strategy in increasing cardiorespiratory fitness in high-risk populations [9], for example in the prevention and treatment of T2D [27].…”

“…Not surprisingly, in case of an inflammatory pandemic such as COVID-19, exercise is considered to be the potentially most cost-efficient and scalable intervention to effectively relieve pressure on the immune system, definitely in anticipation of effective medication or the availability of vaccines, and not least for the most vulnerable individuals [8,23]. This is because on a population scale, relatively small improvements in cardiovascular and respiratory health may have a highly significant effect when it comes to the potential severe complications following (SARS-CoV-2) infection -complications that constitute a significant, global and undeniable strain on healthcare systems.…”

Transformation to Industrial Artificial Intelligence and Workers' Mental Health: Evidence From China

“…In addition, job income and work intensity are important sources of changes in workers' mental health ( 14 , 27 ). Therefore, we further examined the effects of the transformation to industrial AI on workers' psychological health.…”

“…Jung and Lim ( 13 ) found that the application of industrial robots suppressed employment and reduced average wages. Unemployment and low income levels are important sources of workers' stress and poor mental health ( 14 , 15 ). Moreover, the application of industrial robots causes technophobia and leads to negative emotions among workers, who may easily become groups with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression ( 16 ).…”

Life Design Counseling: Theory, Methodology, Challenges, and Future Trends

“…Scholars need to create diversified counseling methods to broaden the application scope of LDC. On one hand, scholars especially need to pay more attention to the following groups: (a) vulnerable groups, such as the unemployed, people with disabilities, people who have experienced breakups or divorces, cancer patients, aging Chinese parents who lose their only child, patients with depression, survivors of family violence, refugees, ex-offenders, solitary person, the bereaved and the low-income people in remote areas (Nota et al, 2014;Li, 2018;Bergeron et al, 2021;Di Maggio et al, 2021a;Maree, 2021) and (b) the general population with finer classification, such as public or private primary school students in different countries or regions, middle school students from different regions and nationalities, high school students with different school characteristics, college students of different majors, workers of different occupations (Cardoso et al, 2016a;Maree, 2020a). Researchers may help these people achieve better career development by designing diversified LDC studies.…”