During the COVID-19 pandemic, science-based policy advice – especially medical advice – has become more relevant. Not only as educational, but particularly as research institutions, universities gained in importance for political decision-makers. To use this potential, SHARE cooperated with the Medical University of Graz und the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria to show the impact of COVID-19 on depression and malnutrition of older people in Austria. In connection with other research results, this topic gained in importance in politics: with regard to vaccinations, depressed people were recognized as a risk group in April 2021. Thus, the virological advisory staff in the Ministry of Health was expanded to include psychological advisors. The topic attracted the attention of many specialist journals.