Page 92 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 90 able to detect a connection between more severe cases of the disease and
changed attitudes towards hygiene measures. Discussion and conclusions:
The results have shown that older persons are afraid of COVID-19
infection. The fear has an impact on food handling in stores as well as on
food preparation at home. Fear of COVID-19 infection is also reflected
in improved hand hygiene. People need clear information and directions
regarding the handling of food during epidemic, and above all, a way of
communication that empowers and reassures people.
Keywords: health, older persons, hygiene requirements, COVID-19
epidemic
Introduction
SARS-CoV-2 causes an infectious coronavirus disease called ‘COVID-19’. The
disease occurs in humans in different ways. In 80% of patients, it has a mild
course with symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, cold, malaise, head-
ache, muscle and joint pain, loss of taste and smell, and digestive problems. In
20% of patients, the disease is more severe, and 5% of patients become critical-
ly ill and need treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) (NIJZ, 2020). Infec-
tious disease is transmitted through direct and indirect contact. Directly, it can
be transmitted through droplets, that are formed during speaking, coughing,
or sneezing. Indirectly, it can be transmitted through touching contaminated
surfaces or objects and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth before cleaning
hands (Girum et al., 2020).
The risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 infection is great-
er in the older persons. The older persons are a more vulnerable population
as their immune systems weaken over the years, making them more suscep-
tible to infections (NIJZ, 2012). The number of deaths increases with age. In
Slovenia, the quantity of people over the age of 65 has doubled since 1981 and
amounted to 20.2 % by 2020 (Eurydice, 2021).
The youngest deaths per 100,000 population in Slovenia until 9.3.2021,
were recorded in the age group 35-44 years (n = 4), followed by the age group
45-54 years (n = 8), and 55-64 years (n = 32). Greater deviation is observed in
the age groups 65 – 74 years (n = 162), 75-84 years (n = 695) and 85 or older (n
= 2826) (Alpaka, 2021). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2020)
in United States of America estimated that 8 out of 10 reported deaths in 2020
were among persons aged 65 and over. Older persons represent 80 % of all hos-
pitalizations that were caused by COVID-19 (Mueller et al., 2020). The older
persons may represent a special group of high-risk patients for the development
of COVID-19 with rapidly progressing clinical deterioration. It is more likely
that the disease will cause life-threatening respiratory failure and multisystem
involvement (Perrotta et al., 2020).
High levels of infection, asymptomatic cases, and uncertainty are the
characteristics of infectious diseases, that make these types of disease induce
changed attitudes towards hygiene measures. Discussion and conclusions:
The results have shown that older persons are afraid of COVID-19
infection. The fear has an impact on food handling in stores as well as on
food preparation at home. Fear of COVID-19 infection is also reflected
in improved hand hygiene. People need clear information and directions
regarding the handling of food during epidemic, and above all, a way of
communication that empowers and reassures people.
Keywords: health, older persons, hygiene requirements, COVID-19
epidemic
Introduction
SARS-CoV-2 causes an infectious coronavirus disease called ‘COVID-19’. The
disease occurs in humans in different ways. In 80% of patients, it has a mild
course with symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, cold, malaise, head-
ache, muscle and joint pain, loss of taste and smell, and digestive problems. In
20% of patients, the disease is more severe, and 5% of patients become critical-
ly ill and need treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) (NIJZ, 2020). Infec-
tious disease is transmitted through direct and indirect contact. Directly, it can
be transmitted through droplets, that are formed during speaking, coughing,
or sneezing. Indirectly, it can be transmitted through touching contaminated
surfaces or objects and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth before cleaning
hands (Girum et al., 2020).
The risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 infection is great-
er in the older persons. The older persons are a more vulnerable population
as their immune systems weaken over the years, making them more suscep-
tible to infections (NIJZ, 2012). The number of deaths increases with age. In
Slovenia, the quantity of people over the age of 65 has doubled since 1981 and
amounted to 20.2 % by 2020 (Eurydice, 2021).
The youngest deaths per 100,000 population in Slovenia until 9.3.2021,
were recorded in the age group 35-44 years (n = 4), followed by the age group
45-54 years (n = 8), and 55-64 years (n = 32). Greater deviation is observed in
the age groups 65 – 74 years (n = 162), 75-84 years (n = 695) and 85 or older (n
= 2826) (Alpaka, 2021). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2020)
in United States of America estimated that 8 out of 10 reported deaths in 2020
were among persons aged 65 and over. Older persons represent 80 % of all hos-
pitalizations that were caused by COVID-19 (Mueller et al., 2020). The older
persons may represent a special group of high-risk patients for the development
of COVID-19 with rapidly progressing clinical deterioration. It is more likely
that the disease will cause life-threatening respiratory failure and multisystem
involvement (Perrotta et al., 2020).
High levels of infection, asymptomatic cases, and uncertainty are the
characteristics of infectious diseases, that make these types of disease induce
