Overview

In March-April 2020, advocacy organisation National Seniors Australia asked its members aged 50 and older to participate in a short, voluntary survey about the COVID-19 crisis. The survey asked two questions: 1. What issues or concerns would you like to bring to the attention of the Government about the COVID-19 virus pandemic? 2. What resources do you need to deal with risks of COVID-19? In total, 1100 people provided at least one text response to the survey. Survey participants shared a number of issues and concerns. These included inadequate access to essential food, groceries and pharmaceutical items; financial stress brought upon them by the pandemic or exacerbated by it; overlooked digital needs; overlooked emotional needs; and overlooked transport needs. In the later weeks of the survey, some participants wrote about the impacts of enforced isolation on their mental health; their changing income or workforce situation due to economic changes during the pandemic; and ageist attitudes emerging from the association of older age and frailty in public discourse. A number of survey participants responded from the perspective of being a carer for other adults or children. They sought clearer guidance on appropriate behaviours under COVID such as isolation and social distancing during caring activities; help with contingency planning for emergencies; access to personal protective equipment for carers; recognition for carers' essential role; and increased funding to support carers.