People aged 60 and over make up 96% of COVID-19 deaths in Ontario. That’s why one advocate calls it “ageism in action”

As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, people aged 60 and over – a group disproportionately represented in Ontario deaths – are seeking more support to avoid becoming infected, says one supporter.

According to the province’s daily epidemiological report, 3,298 people aged 60 or over have died as of November 19, accounting for 96% of the province’s total deaths. Of these deaths, 2,193 resided in long-term care homes.

Of the 3,298 deaths, 904 were people aged 60 to 79 and 2,394 were 80 and over.

Although COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on those living in long-term care, the broad reach of the virus is also felt by those residing in the community.

About 92 percent of people aged 60 and over live in community rather than aggregation environments in Canada, said Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge, a national advocacy organization that “educates, empowers and mobilizes people on the issues that matter most to older Canadians. ”

Tamblyn Watts says the concerns relate to community transmission to people aged 60 and over as they go about their daily activities.

“I think what we are seeing is ageism in action, that there is a sense that it is all right that the elderly are dying of COVID-19,” said Tamblyn Watts.

The more often people in this demographic need to enter the community, the more likely high-risk people are to have to make the “really terrible choice” between getting the things they need or staying home and avoiding outside contact, he said.

“Older people in the second wave may have less support as people get used to living with COVID-19. So in many cases they have to join the community to do things like shop and take drugs. “

Community support is a must if seniors want to stay protected, Tamblyn Watts said.

“Whether it’s more support for food delivery, whether it’s community-based extra wellness checks, whether it’s making sure you support … home care unlike home care, older people need to receive care where they are and not be exposed to the wider community wherever possible. “

He pointed to podiatry, physiotherapy, nursing services, and dialysis as procedures that could be widely supported for people at home instead of requiring people to leave their homes for treatment.

There is a need for “less hand wringing, fewer heartbroken professions and more action in how it will make the lives of the elderly better and safer,” said Tamblyn Watts.

Tanya McKay, 83, said the threat of being infected with COVID-19 meant she lost many of the joys she found before the pandemic along with her husband Nelson.

“Much of the fun has passed out of our lives. We have always been socially active, we loved traveling, we loved entertaining friends, we loved attending cultural events such as concerts and shows “, McKay, who lives in Niagara Falls, he told the Star. “All this has been suspended.”

The pandemic has dampened any motivation in daily life, McKay said. “We have more time and we seem to be doing less. We have to mentally push ourselves. Sometimes we feel ‘why bother?’ ”He said.

She realizes the privilege she and Nelson enjoy: although there is an element of fear and upset, “we are very lucky compared to many others because we live in a house with a courtyard in a small town with easy access to beautiful countryside” McKay said. “We are both healthy and have never had many worries.”

Jenna Moon is a breaking news reporter for The Star and is based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @_jennamoon