The COVID-19 pandemic may have led to more older adults living at home and heightened their risk of infection from COVID-19, according to a new JAMA Internal Medicine study.
Researchers studied data collected between 2011 and 2020 of community-dwelling older adults from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. The number of homebound seniors aged 70 and older more than doubled from 5% between the years 2011 and 2019 to 13% in 2020. Black and Hispanic/Latino seniors were more likely to be receiving Medicaid than white respondents and reported being in fair to poor health. However, more than 40% of white seniors reported living alone versus less than a third of Blacks and Hispanics.
The study did not conclude why the numbers of seniors living alone increased in 2020, but said a likely explanation was compliance with social distancing and other health recommendations to minimize the risk of infection from the coronavirus.
Researchers speculated that the numbers of homebound seniors would likely remain elevated through 2021 as the pandemic continues in the U.S. They said the impact on social, psychological and physical effects from isolation remains to be seen.
