Page 95 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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le 3: Changes in washing and disinfecting hand of older persons
(n = 58)
Do you wash your hands more often than before YES NO
the COVID-19 epidemic? (n) (n)
Do you disinfect your hands more often than before 50 8
the COVID-19 epidemic?
Did you disinfect your hands before the COVID-19 49 8
epidemic?
Did you buy a hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 12 46
epidemic?
56 2
Legend: n – number of respondents a study on the experiences of hygiene requirements among older persons during the covid-19 epidemic 93
Of all respondents, 94 % of older persons wash their hands more often
than before the epidemic, as this makes them feel safer. The majority (94 %) have
a common fear of infection with the COVID-19. They believe that by washing
their hands, they prevent the possibility of the infection spreading. Fear of in-
fection is the main reason that 86 % of older persons disinfect their hands more
often than before epidemic. Before the COVID-19 epidemic, 79 % respondents
did not disinfect their hands, the rest of respondents disinfect them after see-
ing a doctor to prevent infections. Almost all respondents (96 %) bought a hand
sanitizer to prevent infection with the infectious disease COVID-19.
Discussion
With our research, we assess the experiences of hygiene requirements among
older persons. As we expected, older persons were found to have changed their
lifestyles in terms of hygiene measures during the epidemic. They do not so-
cialize, they are lonely, they leave their homes less often, and they feel afraid
of being infected with the infectious COVID-19. Measures, such as social dis-
tancing, are necessary to reduce the spread of the virus that causes the infec-
tious COVID-19, but at the same time, those measures have a strong impact on
the psychological state of older persons, who may feel lonely and feel the fear of
getting the disease. Fear of illness, of virus transmission or fear of death as the
consequence of COVID-19 disease, can be caused by a variety of psychological
states such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Koçak et al., 2021).
Most older persons are afraid of contracting the disease while shopping, so
they go to the grocery stores less often and they touch only the products which
they intend to buy. The findings of the study showed that COVID-19 epidemic
caused fear of contracting the disease among older persons. Most respondents
agree that the infectious COVID-19 is transmitted through food packaging. In
order for the older persons to buy products safely, National Institute of Public
Health NIJZ (2020) recommends cautious behaviour in the grocery store. They
recommended wearing masks, keeping social distancing, grocery shopping with
(n = 58)
Do you wash your hands more often than before YES NO
the COVID-19 epidemic? (n) (n)
Do you disinfect your hands more often than before 50 8
the COVID-19 epidemic?
Did you disinfect your hands before the COVID-19 49 8
epidemic?
Did you buy a hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 12 46
epidemic?
56 2
Legend: n – number of respondents a study on the experiences of hygiene requirements among older persons during the covid-19 epidemic 93
Of all respondents, 94 % of older persons wash their hands more often
than before the epidemic, as this makes them feel safer. The majority (94 %) have
a common fear of infection with the COVID-19. They believe that by washing
their hands, they prevent the possibility of the infection spreading. Fear of in-
fection is the main reason that 86 % of older persons disinfect their hands more
often than before epidemic. Before the COVID-19 epidemic, 79 % respondents
did not disinfect their hands, the rest of respondents disinfect them after see-
ing a doctor to prevent infections. Almost all respondents (96 %) bought a hand
sanitizer to prevent infection with the infectious disease COVID-19.
Discussion
With our research, we assess the experiences of hygiene requirements among
older persons. As we expected, older persons were found to have changed their
lifestyles in terms of hygiene measures during the epidemic. They do not so-
cialize, they are lonely, they leave their homes less often, and they feel afraid
of being infected with the infectious COVID-19. Measures, such as social dis-
tancing, are necessary to reduce the spread of the virus that causes the infec-
tious COVID-19, but at the same time, those measures have a strong impact on
the psychological state of older persons, who may feel lonely and feel the fear of
getting the disease. Fear of illness, of virus transmission or fear of death as the
consequence of COVID-19 disease, can be caused by a variety of psychological
states such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Koçak et al., 2021).
Most older persons are afraid of contracting the disease while shopping, so
they go to the grocery stores less often and they touch only the products which
they intend to buy. The findings of the study showed that COVID-19 epidemic
caused fear of contracting the disease among older persons. Most respondents
agree that the infectious COVID-19 is transmitted through food packaging. In
order for the older persons to buy products safely, National Institute of Public
Health NIJZ (2020) recommends cautious behaviour in the grocery store. They
recommended wearing masks, keeping social distancing, grocery shopping with
