TIRANA – “The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) that we know today is particularly dangerous for the elderly and disproportionately threatens their right to health and various other human rights,” said on Friday the EU Human Rights Commissioner, Dunja Mijatovic in a statement.
According to her, containment measures are absolutely vital and necessary, but the Commissioner noted that in a context where we learn with affliction that hospitals must introduce a selection of patients because of the saturation of their emergency services, States must do all they can to slow the progression of the virus and each must take part in this effort and defend solidarity.
Ms. Mijatovic believed that the social distancing made necessary by this objective will undoubtedly have the effect of aggravating the already alarming problem of the isolation of the elderly. “Indeed, these people are particularly exposed to poverty and exclusion as well as to social isolation, which has a direct impact on their state of health, especially mental. This is why older people need help more than ever in this time of crisis and the measures taken to fight the pandemic must be particularly attentive to this need,” said the Commissioner.
She suggested that all societies must invent new ways to stimulate intergenerational solidarity and social contact with the elderly without exposing them to the risk of infection and praised multiple initiatives and actions of national NGOs to promote such innovative forms of social engagement.
”While civil society often reacts quickly and generously in this area, European governments have the duty to actively support initiatives of this type and more generally intergenerational responsibility,” said Ms. Mijatovic.
But the Commissioner was worried that unfortunately the pandemic has also given rise to a proliferation of derogatory remarks and hate speech on the elderly on social networks, which are all signs of growing resentment between the generations. “The current situation also highlights the shortcomings of large long-term care institutions for the elderly, where they are confined to closed residences,” she said pointing out that even in the absence of the threat of a deadly virus, these establishments are often the scene of multiple human rights violations, including violence and ill-treatment, in particular due to a chronic lack of resources and the fact that the design and implementation of long-term care is not based on a human rights-based approach./argumentum.al
