COVID-19 coverage sends a message that SC seniors are expendable. They deserve better

“Today we had (insert number here) deaths in South Carolina due to COVID19, and all of them were elderly people with underlying conditions.”

These are the words that we see and hear on an almost daily basis from the media covering the COVID-19 pandemic. But while it is true that seniors are dying at an alarming rate due to COVID-19, it is not a death sentence for most.

As a gerontologist I feel that it’s my responsibility to tell the community that this repetitive messaging is making seniors feel anxious, afraid, devalued and unworthy. The daily reports about COVID-19 deaths almost seem to leave the impression that seniors are expected to die — and that they are simply expendable.

I know that this is not the reality, and I know that these numbers are being factually reported. But can you imagine how this makes seniors feel every day? Not very good.

As with deaths there also are recoveries. Please, let’s highlight the wins as well as the losses. There are names behind the numbers.

Macie Smith is a gerontologist in Columbia.

This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 1:31 PM.