Many Seniors Lost Strength During the Pandemic, May Need Rehabilitative Services

Physicians, physical therapists, and health plan leaders warn that the prolonged inactivity of U.S. seniors during the pandemic has raised the prospect of increased impairment and frailty in the older population, reports the Desert Sun . Professor Lauren Jan Gleason at the University of Chicago said many older patients have lost muscle mass and strength this past year and are having issues with mobility and balance they previously lacked. Some health plans have been reaching out to older members to evaluate their needs. Members of Massachusetts' Commonwealth Care Alliance, which serves seniors who are poor and qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, tend to have more medical requirements than similarly aged seniors on average. The plan's staffers conducted phone-based "wellness outreach assessments" every two weeks between March and September 2020, asking about ongoing medical care, new physical and emotional challenges, and the adequacy of available help. Now, calls are made monthly and staffers have resumed in-person consultations. "We've had physical therapists digitally engage with members to coach them through strength and balance training," said Commonwealth Care Chief Medical Officer Robert MacArthur. "And when that didn't work, we sent therapists into people's homes."