A study by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) showed a surge in the risk of depression and anxiety among elderly people during the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic compared with two years ago.

Researchers under the Jockey Club Holistic Support Project for Elderly Mental Wellness surveyed 4,921 people aged 60 or above from April to June. They found that about one-third of them suffered from emotional distress, showing signs of depression, anxiety or loneliness.

They said the risk of depression among the elderly was up two-thirds while the risk of anxiety rose by around 60 percent compared with a similar study in 2020.

Professor Terry Lum from the HKU Department of Social Work and Social Administration cited a disruption of routines during the fifth wave.

"For example, they used to go to breakfast at a dim sum restaurant in the morning, or they go to the park to do exercise or tai chi with friends. But now with the prolonged social isolation, they have stopped these kinds of activities for a long time."

The study also found that more than 25 percent of the respondents expressed worries about the pandemic, with the top concern being "they would burden their families if they come down with the virus".

"If you look at for example the figures or pictures from newspapers or TV, the elderly people waiting outside the hospital for a place in the emergency room... Those kinds of pictures have a very profound effect on the emotion of older people," Lum said.

"They will think if unluckily I got infected, I would likely be one of those people waiting outside in cold weather on rainy days to get into the emergency room."

Lum added that many people were not even aware that they had symptoms or did not know where to seek help.

"There are community resources available. But in Hong Kong, older people's mental health literacy is not very high, that means they don't know where to seek help. Many of them even are not aware of the symptoms," he said.

He called on authorities to offer more support for the elderly who struggle with their mental health, such as providing psychotherapy in district elderly community centres.