Memory Problems Among Elderly During COVID Period

Procedural memory is a type of long-term memory involving knowing how to perform different actions and skills. Essentially, it stores information about how to do certain things, such as motor skills. In contrast, declarative memory, also called explicit memory, involves information that can be consciously stored and retrieved in the form of facts and figures. For example, when riding a bike, procedural memory guides the actual act of riding while declarative memory helps recall the routes needed to reach a destination. COVID-19 can affect individuals of all ages, but the elderly population is disproportionately impacted, with higher hospitalization and mortality rates after 65 years of age. One of the most significant contributing factors is isolation during COVID lockdowns. A lack of social contact can negatively affect the human brain, especially among the elderly and those with memory issues or Alzheimer’s disease, where frequent loneliness may exacerbate cognitive decline. Of course, not everyone experienced loneliness during he pandemic, and the results of some studies have shown that levels of loneliness have plateaued over time. Considering these effects, the present study aimed to assess memory problems among the elderly in Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu. A self-constructed questionnaire, the ‘Elderly Memory Task Scale’ was used to assess memory-related issues among the elderly through a purposive sampling method. A total of 72 elderly participants were selected for the study. The results indicated that the old-old (aged 80 and above), particularly those who are illiterate and dependent on their children, reported higher levels of memory problems compared to other participants. The study highlights the need for personalized care of elderly people during the pandemic, and to consider how caregivers, professionals or members of the patient’s family can be supportive for elderly memory issues.