Care for Older People with Dementia During COVID-19 Pandemic

Older people living with dementia, who are likely frail with multiple comorbidities, appear particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Care for older people with comorbid dementia and COVID-19 is a challenge to health care professionals due to their complex needs. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease which typically presents with respiratory symptoms; however, in older people with dementia, it may present atypically with delirium. Delirium may precede respiratory symptoms, and in some cases, it may be the only symptom, leading to a delay in the diagnosis. Therefore, screening for delirium should be part of the routine clinical practice for older people with dementia and suspected COVID-19 infection. Due to the complexity of care required for older people with dementia affected by COVID-19, a holistic and individualised approach that includes acute, transitional and long-term care is required. Advanced decision-making, for example, ceiling of care and resuscitation decisions, should be made early on admission to hospital. Screening for frailty with clinical frailty scale may help to aid decision-making. Palliative care and relief of suffering should be considered from the outset. Early and regular involvement of patients and their families in care plans and periodic updates regarding any changes in the clinical condition are good clinical practice. The introduction of telehealth programmes that are suitable for older people with poor cognitive function and also cover diverse cultural backgrounds are urgently required for the future support of this vulnerable group of patients.