ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has proliferated ageism. The impetus of this article is to show that immunosenescence is a risk factor to COVID-19 and not aging per se. Based on the idea that some older people are also healthier than younger ones, the emphasis of this article is on immunosenescence and not aging as a risk factor of COVID-19 complications. The paper utilizes a biopsychosocial approach to expound on the link between immunosenescence and COVID-19 risk factors. The article explores biological factors such as malnutrition, comorbidities, substance abuse, and sex. It also expands on psychosocial factors such as mental health disorders, homelessness, unemployment, lack of physical exercises, stigma, and discrimination. The article calls for gerontological social work to assume a developmental-clinical social work perspective to prevent the early onset and progression of immunosenescence. It calls for gerontological social work to prevent factors that promote unhealthy aging. The article promotes a preventative stance to practice and not just curative approaches. Treatment involves primary prevention which emphasizes on avoiding the onset of unhealthy aging. It is this approach that gerontological social work should aim also to address in building resilience in the face of pandemics.

摘要

COVID-19 已经扩散了年龄歧视。这篇文章的动力是表明免疫衰老是 COVID-19 的危险因素，而不是衰老本身。基于一些老年人也比年轻人更健康的观点，本文的重点是免疫衰老，而不是将衰老作为 COVID-19 并发症的危险因素。该论文利用生物心理社会方法来阐述免疫衰老与 COVID-19 风险因素之间的联系。这篇文章探讨了生物学因素，如营养不良、合并症、药物滥用和性别。它还扩展了心理社会因素，例如精神健康障碍、无家可归、失业、缺乏体育锻炼、污名化和歧视。文章呼吁老年学社会工作采取发展-临床社会工作的视角，以防止免疫衰老的早发和进展。它呼吁老年学社会工作以预防促进不健康老龄化的因素。这篇文章提倡对实践采取预防性立场，而不仅仅是治疗方法。治疗包括初级预防，重点是避免不健康衰老的发生。老年学社会工作也应该致力于解决这种方法，以建立面对流行病的复原力。治疗包括初级预防，重点是避免不健康的衰老。老年学社会工作也应该致力于解决这种方法，以建立面对流行病的复原力。治疗包括初级预防，重点是避免不健康的衰老。老年学社会工作也应该致力于解决这种方法，以建立面对流行病的复原力。