Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Dementia Patients Dying At Higher Rates During Pandemic, Data Show
The Washington Post: Dementia Patients Are Dying From Isolation Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Beyond the staggering U.S. deaths caused directly by the novel coronavirus, more than 134,200 people have died from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia since March. That is 13,200 more U.S. deaths caused by dementia than expected, compared with previous years, according to an analysis of federal data by The Washington Post. (Wan, 9/16)
The Hill: Higher Than Average Numbers Have Died Of Dementia Since Start Of Pandemic
More people than average are dying from dementia this year as seniors battle the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis of federal data by The Washington Post. Patients are dying from dementia at higher rates because of isolation measures in place amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Post found. People who are over 65 were encouraged by health officials early on to isolate because of their vulnerability to the virus. (Moreno, 9/16)
Politico: Summer Wave Of Dementia Deaths Adds Thousands To Pandemic's Deadly Toll
Deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia rose to more than 20 percent above normal over the summer, a staggering figure that won’t factor into the official count of coronavirus deaths but is unmistakably linked to the pandemic’s true toll. Increased isolation and stress during lockdown, lapses in nursing home care and missed Covid-19 diagnoses are all likely contributing factors to the unusually high dementia death toll, adding to the devastation the virus has brought to U.S. nursing homes. (Doherty, 9/16)
