A personal observation.... I had initially thought that the elderly had escaped relatively well psychologically from the covid lockdown...
it was my young patients eg matriculants who weren’t coping and experiencing high levels of anxiety/ depression

many adults were stressing from financial fallout; more insomnia and anxiety
My oldies seemed ok .. they were philosophical about the pandemic;their lives didn’t change much
.. but as we enter the 7th month of lockdown, I’ve noticed the harmful effect on institutionalized oldies

I’ve counted 17 deaths in my practice over lockdown( 2 to covid); far more than usual ... I have completed the most death certificates in 6 months in over 2 decades
..several were women in their 90’s.. locked away in frail care, not allowed any contact with family/friends

they literally withered and gave up living. Families tell me of their elderly mothers anguish at not being able to see or touch their loved ones or go out for a drive or visit
I understand where the old age homes were coming from, but the emotional distress has been huge

When this pandemic is over and the lockdowns gone, the toll on mental well being will I think be assessed to have been worse than the disease itself