Table 2A.
Recommendations of the literature for maintaining mental health in older people during the COVID-19 quarantine
| Author | Aim | Main recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | ||
| Goethals L et al. 2020 (43) Banskota S et al 2020 (45) | Prevent loneliness | Keep connected with relatives, strength social connections. Increase use of digital resources, online tools, social media |
| United Nations 2020 (48]) Holmes EA et al. 2020 (47) Cudjoe TKM et al. 2020 (7) Ransing R et al. 2020 (50]) | Prevent sleeping disorders | Follow a regular sleep-wake cycle Maintain PA Appropriate nutrition habits |
| Li Tao et al 2020 (51) Yuan S et al. 2020 (37]) Ransing R et al. 2020 (50) Li Tao et al. 2020 (51) | Maintain cognitive stimulation | Use electronic tools and apps, technology resources. Participate in adequate and tailored daily activities |
| Jiménez-Pavón A et al. 2020 (64) | Prevent cognitive impairment or decline and improve self-esteem | Multicomponent exercise program 5–7 days per week of aerobic and resistance training with moderate intensity |
| Caregivers | ||
| Li Tao et al 2020 (51) Holmes EA et al. 2020 (47) Etard J-F et al. 2020 (100) Doraiswamy S et al 2020 (101) | Prevent depressive symptoms Prevent anxiety | Help the person be useful, contribute to simple chorehouses or gardening. Prevent overexposure to media and help manage the effect of viewing images with traumatic content. Seek information in official sources. |
| Health workers | ||
| Banskota S et al. 2020 (45) Sánchez-Rodríguez D et al 2020 (102). | Reduce the exposure to the virus and improve rapid access to health care. | Implement telehealth |
| DiGiovanni G 2020 (52) | Give care to vulnerable populations Avoid conductual disorders, delirium. | Telemedicine by video. Assessment tools for geriatric population: Telehealth SCORARE GA Cognitive and physical stimulation |
| Huang Y et al 2020 (38) | Avoid anxiety and depressive symptoms | Psychological training and surveillance in risk cases |
| Brooks SK et al 2020 (23) Wang H et al 2020 (49) Zhang Y et al 2020 (35) | Reduce stress | Reduce boredom and improve the communication: telephone support lines, social media, support groups Reinforce than quarantine is helping to keep others safe (reinforce altruism) Self-help guidance tools such as relaxation or meditation exercise, delivered through electronic media Combination of health education with psychological counseling for vulnerable people |
| Webb Let al 2020[46] | Increase resilience | Basic CBT approaches, support lines and practical social connection strategies |
| Wang H et al 2020 [49] | Dementia care | provide mental health and psychosocial support: multidisciplinary and collaborative teams support behavioural management through telephone hotlines. online consultation for caregivers at home and in nursing homes. encourage people who have a parent with dementia to have more frequent contact and take some caregiving duties |
| Health authorities | ||
| Webb Let al. 2020. [46] | Increase resilience Gain compliance with lockdown strategies | Adopting inclusive language when talking about the elderly, valuing older people’s contributions and avoiding negative emphasis on risk. Use non-patronising media stories of older people’s strengths Promoting citizens’ trust in ‘experts’ (scientists and their data), giving clear factual information, and promoting altruism |
| Brooks SK et al 2020 [23] | Reduce stress | Keep quarantine as short as possible, give as much information as possible, provide adequate supplies |
CBT: Cognitive behavioral therapy; PA: Physical activity.