| Aida Suárez-González1 , Jordi Matías-Guiu2 and Adelina Comas-Herrera3 1Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology at Queen Square, University College London 2Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurosciences, San Carlos Health Research Institute, Universidad Complutense, Madrid 3Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science |
Key points:
- Between 11,941-14,877 people with dementia may have died with COVID-19 in care homes in Spain (see section 3 – National level mortality figures for people living with dementia).
- 8 out of the 17 Autonomous Communities (AACCs) in which Spain is administratively divided are making data related to the impact of COVID-19 on care homes for old people publicly available in the official websites of the corresponding regional governments. We have not found this information for the remaining 9 AACCs.
- 1 out of the 17 Spanish AACC has reported data of COVID-19 deaths in people living with dementia (Asturias, 43% of total deaths occurred in people with dementia[1]). The different approaches used by the different Spanish regions to record and publish care home and dementia COVID-19 related information makes any attempt of extracting national-level data impossible.
- Visits in care homes have restarted since the lockdown came to an end but are subject to many limitations in terms of frequency, duration and number of people visiting. The rules vary substantially across care homes and AACCs. The prolonged separation from their families arising from this ban on visits is believed to be causing devastating and long-lasting damage in the cognitive and psychological health of people living with dementia in care homes.
- Many dementia clinics have continued to offer outpatient care during the pandemic, either by phone or face to face under appropriate measures of infection control.
- Day-care centres are now reopening under new infection control protocols and protective measures.
[1] https://ltccovid.org/2020/06/14/new-report-the-covid-19-long-term-care-situation-in-asturias-spain/