ABSTRACT
During 2020–2021, the Russian Federation significantly changed the regulatory framework in the field of health and social care and introduced restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Older people were particularly affected, especially those who fell under the movement restriction regime (forced self-isolation). In this research, we (a) introduce the policy and related definitions of restrictive measures and care taken by the Russian authorities during the pandemic, especially regarding older persons. This led to the distancing from health and social services, public places, limited visits to public places, less enjoyment of fresh air, and limitation of personal contacts. (b) We reveal the main pandemic-related challenges of older people and discuss the response of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a new resource to help older people during the pandemic in Russia. And, finally, we (c) present the results about the feeling of social isolation and loneliness of our own conducted interviews on the impact of restrictive measures of the coronavirus pandemic on the daily life of older people in an Arctic city in Russia – Arkhangelsk.
