older woman in a garden

Although the ongoing pandemic has been tough on the elderly, it has been particularly cruel to those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In fact, deaths linked to this group jumped by more than 20% during the summer months, according to a report from Politico.

The story cited three main reasons for the double-digit escalation: increased isolation and stress during lockdown, missed COVID-19 diagnoses, and lapses in skilled care services. The first two have a home care connection.

Excessive death totals first emerged in the early weeks of the pandemic. At that time, temporary disruptions to the medical system and undiagnosed COVID-19 cases amid a severe testing shortfall were blamed. But as months progressed and deaths continued, some observers now are pointing to systemic flaws in our nation’s healthcare system, as it affects care for the frail and elderly.

“There’s something wrong, there’s something going on and it needs to be sorted out,” Robert Anderson, chief of mortality statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was quoted as saying.