Session recordings available herePresentation available hereCOVID-19 is most dangerous for older people, as the risk of serious illness and death increases with age. Older people living in poverty and those with disabilities or care needs are particularly at risk. What is less understood is how this heightened risk of illness and mortality further exacerbates existing vulnerabilities and inequities that older people face. Older people generally rely on their own work, family support and pensions for their survival. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the inadequacy of pensions in most low- and middle-income countries and that economically struggling families often cannot guarantee a dignified live for older people. Lacking the income security that pensions could provide, older people make ends meet through work and income-generating activities, mainly in the informal economy. However, lockdowns, the economic crisis and older people’s heightened vulnerability to the virus mean that many older people are no longer able to work – or having to choose between contracting the virus and destitution.
What can social protection practitioners do to ensure that those hardest hit by the virus are not pushed into poverty? Hear evidence on the socioeconomic impact on older people, their access to social protection and livelihoods during COVID-19 and join us in a discussion on concrete actions that can be taken to protect and improve older people’s wellbeing during and after this crisis.
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