Effect of COVID-19 Greatest on People Living with Dementia

The COVID-19 global pandemic is affecting people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in a unique way, with researchers from CHeBA calling for increased caregiver support and skilled staff to provide extra support for people living with dementia.

Not only does evidence suggest that people with dementia are more likely to contract COVID-19 than people without dementia, but also that older adults with dementia are more likely to have severe disease outcomes from the virus, including increased risk of death.

An opinion piece written for Nature Reviews Neurology by Study Coordinator of CHeBA’s Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, Dr Katya Numbers, noted that safeguarding procedures - such as physical distancing and wearing of masks - are extremely difficult for people with dementia to follow, which increases their risk of infection.

The article, co-authored by Co-Director of CHeBA Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, also highlighted the fact that living arrangements within aged care facilities increase viral propagation.

Not only is this population group more susceptible to the virus and its effects, but they are also more impacted by the negative effects of the measures taken worldwide to control its spread. Forced social isolation during lockdown periods has led to an increase in anxiety and depression for persons living with dementia, who are more likely to have pre-existing anxious and depressive symptoms.

“Most people living in aged care homes, where infection rates are disproportionately high worldwide, have dementia.”

Professor Henry Brodaty AO

DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-00450-z

Dr Katya Numbers