Over a year after the pandemic spiked in the U.S. there have been over 33 million people infected with COVID-19 and approaching 600,000 deaths. The percentage of the 33 million that contracted the virus that are over the age of 75 was approximately 7-8% of the total cases. The percentage of the 600,000 deaths for those over the age of 75 was close to 60%. See CDC Data Tracker for the most current percentages. We have been told all along how much worse COVID-19 was impacting the elderly but for them to make up only 8% of the cases yet end as 60% of the deaths really shows the impact.
Several contributing factors led to this negative impact:
- 40% of all U.S. Coronavirus deaths occurred in nursing homes or assisted living centers. This is due to the communal nature of these residency facilities as well as the shortages of personal protective equipment and staff.
- Another reason the virus impacted the elderly more is that 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition. Many of these chronic conditions happen to be the ones that complicate Coronavirus infections or worsen its severity. Some of those chronic conditions include cancer, COPD, diabetes, heart conditions, obesity and dementia or other neurological conditions.
- Another explanation for why COVID-19 impacted the elderly so severely is that they tend to have decreased immune function. The immune system naturally weakens as we age. Each organ loses some of its functionality and elderly individuals do not have the resiliency of a young or middle-aged person.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Vaccines were offered to the elderly before many other groups. There are now at least 65% of adults in the U.S. with at least one vaccination. The CDC reports that the vaccines help to decrease the severity of the illness as well as lessen the spread. They continue to warn that they are still studying the variants and how long the vaccine will be effective.
The medical community still encourages seniors, especially those over the age of 75, to remain vigilant. They encourage elderly persons with chronic conditions to continue to properly manage those conditions by consistently taking prescribed medications, eating healthy, getting physical exercise and managing stress.
In addition to remaining physically healthy, it is important to focus on mental health. Staying connected with family and friends in a safe manner, talking to mental health professionals as needed and getting the proper sleep and rest is very important to continue to protect yourself from the virus itself as well as the ramifications of change and isolation.
At Stouffer Legal we work hard to protect the elderly in our Maryland communities. We are saddened by the devastating impact this virus has had on the elderly population, but hope that better days are ahead. If you or a loved one needs assistance with elder law issues such as long-term care planning, Medicaid planning or estate planning, please reach out to our compassionate team of attorneys. You can schedule an appointment by calling us at (443) 470-3599 or emailing us at office@stoufferlegal.com.
