Dying at home of Covid-19: Meeting the need for home-based care.
Prev Med
; 145: 106409, 2021 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1003148
ABSTRACT
Despite the increased burden of Covid-19 on older adults, ethical and public health frameworks lack adequate guidance for elderly patients who manage severe, even fatal, illness at home. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recognize the heightened risks of Covid-19 for older adults; however, both organizations presuppose that most cases of Covid-19 will be mild to moderate and recoverable at home. Yet, older adults are least likely to follow this trajectory. Older patients are more susceptible to experiencing severe illness at home from which they may not recover; and if they do seek medical care, they tend to suffer worse outcomes than younger patients in intensive care settings. Given their likelihood of severe illness, worse outcomes in intensive care settings, and potential difficulty accessing resources, frail, disabled, and otherwise vulnerable older patients may face Covid-19 at home without adequate resources, information, or support for home-based care. This editorial proposes three approaches to prevent needless suffering and ensure that this vulnerable population continues to receive needed care.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Guidelines as Topic
/
Disabled Persons
/
Vulnerable Populations
/
COVID-19
/
Home Care Services
/
Home Nursing
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Prev Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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