SARS-CoV2 infection as a model to understand the long-term impact of respiratory infections on the health and functioning of older adults: the Aging, Infection and Mobility (AIM) Project

Respiratory infections such as COVID-19 are a major public health threat for older adults and can cause long-term symptoms that persist months after the initial illness. Mobility is a key factor in healthy aging and disease prevention, and it is likely impacted by common symptoms of post-COVID conditions (e.g., fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness). Still, mobility has yet to be adequately addressed in research studying the long-term impacts of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. The Aging, Infection, and Mobility (AIM) project seeks to determine why some people develop post-COVID conditions, and others do not, and to examine the long-term effects of COVID-19 on functional outcomes in older people. The project will build on an existing aging and wearable technology study of over 1500 older adults from Hamilton and Toronto, including those from low-income areas. Participants will contact the research team within 5 days of developing symptoms of infection and undergo COVID-19 testing. The study will include telephone-administered questionnaires, post infection interviews, and regular follow-ups, including mobility monitoring using wearable devices (e.g., step counts, physical activity), and in-person assessments of physical, mental, and social health over 2 years. Our goal is to understand the risk factors and long term impacts of COVID-19 in older adults and marginalized seniors. We will also examine the impact of recurrent infections and vaccination on recovery from COVID-19 and the health of older adults. The results of this study will answer critical questions about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the health and functioning of our aging population. We plan to use this information to improve policies, services, and supports to help older adults recover from COVID-19 and other respiratory infections that affect mobility and functional health.