COVID-19 and Dementia: A Review and Synthesis of Material on a Deadly Combination

Nasreen Basoudan,Andrea Tales

doi:10.33805/2641-8991.126

Abstract

Within modern history, the majority of the worldwide population has not experienced pandemic conditions, and not in recent history has a global pandemic occurred. Arguably therefore we were not prepared for, and did not anticipate, some of its effects, with emerging evidence indicating that this was particularly the case with respect to dementia care. The aim of this paper is to highlight some of the issues raised by COVID-19 surrounding dementia care, focusing on issues experienced both by individuals living with dementia and by those who provide their care. This is in response to the need to raise awareness of this issue and we do so by bringing this information together in order that it might inform policy for ongoing care post-virus and future outbreaks and lockdown situations. While there is a marked need to change the current tactics being used in the treatment and care of preexisting and longstanding illnesses, like dementia, there is also a need to take into account the safety procedures necessary to prevent potential exposure to COVID-19. Through the targeted exploration of these considerations, there is a hope that documentation of these actions can both facilitate current treatment and care efforts and approaches and provide a framework for future efforts, should another pandemic situation arise in the near future.

Highlights

COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, has spread around the globe, resulting in a large number of infected people, a high mortality rate, and leaving those who do recover suffering from a host of complications brought about by the viral infection
While there is a marked need to change the current tactics being used in the treatment and care of preexisting and longstanding illnesses, like dementia, there is a need to take into account the safety procedures necessary to prevent potential exposure to COVID-19
Much still remains unknown about the health-related effects of COVID-19, it is clear that the pandemic has dramatically affected how most people act, react, respond, and interact with society in general, with evidence emerging to suggest that these effects are detrimental for older adults and especially those living with dementia and carers

Summary

Introduction

COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, has spread around the globe, resulting in a large number of infected people, a high mortality rate, and leaving those who do recover suffering from a host of complications brought about by the viral infection. Bhaskar et al, [22] expressed a similar concern with respect to the neurological components of COVID-19, arguing that while neurologists have received the benefit of knowledge obtained from caring for patients with dementia diagnosed with COVID-19, thereby facilitating societal understanding of disease progress, they had noted a reorganization of services and a triaging of provided care to patients with COVID-19 based on decreases in available resources and an overburdening of healthcare systems This information pertains to those in care homes, as researchers currently lack an effective method of collecting data from patients who reside with their carers in at-home conditions during the lockdown. Without conducting studies that focus expressly on in home care, it will not be possible to know the full depth of the impact of COVID-19 within this population

Pandemic Effects on Carers

Findings

Summary