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 and other respiratory infections 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.