Arizona Officials Discourage Holiday Gatherings for People in Assisted Living Communities

Arizona Public Media reports that with COVID-19 cases in Arizona spiking, Gov. Doug Ducey's task force on long-term care is discouraging residents of assisted living communities from going to see family for the holidays. This concerns experts like University of Arizona Professor Melvin Hector, who said the severity of isolation's mental health effects on older people is shaped by a person's pre-existing health. He noted that isolation can worsen blood pressure, anxiety, and depression, and along with loneliness can accelerate cognitive decline like dementia — which many assisted living community residents are living with. "It is as much a factor leading to patients' premature death as things that we would classically consider, like smoking or obesity or a sedentary lifestyle," Hector warned. The chair of Gov. Ducey's task force, Christina Corieri, said a top priority for the group is finding ways to help residents' mental health. She acknowledged that in-person visits mean a lot to people, even if virtual visits are offered. "That's why we were able to come up with a program to safely allow designated essential visitors to come in, and we know those will be especially important during the holiday season," Corieri explained. With most Arizona counties now exhibiting moderate COVID-19 spread, she said the task force recommends that residents remain in their communities at all times, except to see the doctor.