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VOL. 12, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Elder rights in the post-pandemic era: Lessons learned from COVID-19's impact on nursing home populations and healthcare prioritization
Authors
Dr. Girija Nand
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed significant systemic shortcomings in
safeguarding the rights of older individuals, especially within nursing homes
and long-term care settings. Older adults, who constituted a disproportionate
percentage of pandemic-related deaths across nearly all affected countries,
experienced institutional neglect, age-based healthcare rationing, enforced
social isolation, and insufficient legal safeguards during this unprecedented
global health crisis. This study offers a thorough examination of the pandemic's
effects on nursing home residents, critically assesses the structural and legal
deficiencies that rendered older adults particularly susceptible, and derives
policy recommendations for the post-pandemic period. Drawing upon international
case studies, human rights law, research on aging, and public health policy,
this paper posits that the rights of older adults should be recognized as
legally enforceable entitlements, rather than merely aspirational objectives.
It advocates for substantial legal reforms, increased financial investment in
long-term care, and the establishment of a legally binding international accord
concerning the rights of older individuals.
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Pages:42-46
How to cite this article:
Dr. Girija Nand "Elder rights in the post-pandemic era: Lessons learned from COVID-19's impact on nursing home populations and healthcare prioritization". International Journal of Law, Vol 12, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 42-46
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