The nightmare of resuscitation, the distance from loved ones and the fear of not making it. Covid has had devastating effects especially for older people. Studying the long-term cognitive, psychological, psychiatric and motor consequences are the objective of the study of the Center for Cognitive Disorders and Territorial Dementia in via Romagna, conducted by a team of 2 geriatricians and 3 psychologists, in collaboration with the Department of the Area Medica of the ASSL of Cagliari, which includes the Covid departments of the Santissima Trinità and Binaghi, and with the Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering of the University of Cagliari. Daniela Viale is a psychologist and psychotherapist, in the Geriatrics complex operating unit and in the Territorial Cognitive Disorders and Dementia Center of the 1 district of the ASSL Cagliari.
- Dr. Viale, how was your office born?
"Considering the scientific evidence on possible long-term harm in patients who have contracted Covid and the increased risk in the elderly population of unfavorable outcomes, in terms of disability, worsening quality of life, we decided to address the study to subjects with more than 65 years old who have been hospitalized in the medical area of the Santissima Trinità in Cagliari. The aim of the study is to analyze people's cognitive, neuropsychiatric, psychological and motor performance for a full year with assessments made every 6 months. This study was started in the Center for Cognitive Disorders and Territorial Dementia in via Romagna, and is conducted by a team of 2 geriatric doctors and 3 psychologists, in collaboration with the Department of the Medical Area of the ASSL of Cagliari, which includes the Covid departments of the Santissima Trinità and Binaghi, and with the Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering of the University of Cagliari ”.
- What is your goal?
“To offer a psycho-geriatric assessment, screening and possible care of people hospitalized for Sars-cov 2 infection who agree to participate in the study. Our goal is in fact to intercept situations of fragility early, to favor a global care at a specialized center, both from a geriatric and psychological point of view, to activate prevention interventions in those subjects with higher risk factors ".
