Millions of Americans Face Dementia Alone

Sociologist Elena Portacolone was taken aback when she conducted a research study requiring her to visit the homes of elderly San Francisco residents. Many of those with whom she had an appointment didn’t remember that she was coming over. They had no recollection that she was coming to speak with them. It was clear to her that these individuals had some kind of cognitive impairment. But they were living alone.

Portacolone, an associate professor at the University of California-San Francisco, wondered how common it was for those with dementia to live alone. Has anyone studied this group before? How were they managing? Upon reviewing the extant literature, she realized that there was very little there. “I realized this is a largely invisible population,” she said.

Portacolone started working and now leads the Living Alone with Cognitive Impairment Project at UCSF. The project estimates that at least 4.3 million individuals aged 55 and older who have cognitive impairment or dementia live alone in the United States.

According to Portacolone, about half of the individuals she met with had trouble performing activities of daily living. This included daily activities such as bathing, eating, cooking, shopping, taking medications, and managing money, according to her research. Only 1 in 3 received help with at least one activity of daily living.

Compared with other older adults who live by themselves, those living alone with dementia are likely to be older, more likely to be women, and disproportionately Black and Latino, with lower levels of education, wealth, and homeownership. On the other hand, only 21% of these individuals qualified for publicly funded programs such as Medicaid that pay for aides to provide services within the home.

“[W]e realized this population is destined to fall through the cracks,” Portacolone said. The healthcare system assumes that older adults have family caregivers to help them. But many don’t.

What this means 

Those living alone with memory and cognition problems can lose track of bills, have their electricity shut off, or be threatened with eviction. In some cases, they might stop shopping because it’s too overwhelming. In other cases, they may stop cooking because it’s too hard to follow recipes. They may have difficulty communicating their needs clearly or be unable to navigate automated phone systems. They would have difficulty applying for benefits without help.

Seniors living alone with dementia can face a variety of other problems too. These include social isolation, malnutrition, self-neglect, and susceptibility to scams. Without anyone to watch over them, older adults living alone may experience worsening health without anyone noticing or struggle with dementia without being diagnosed.

What’s clear is that these adults should not be living on their own with dementia. They should be in an assisted living environment. However, many cannot afford these places and wouldn’t know how to access them if they did.

Talk to a Virginia Beach, VA Elder Law Attorney Today 

The Law Office of Angela N. Manz represents the interests of senior citizens who are concerned about paying for long-term care. Call our Virginia Beach elder law attorneys today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing how you should manage your estate to ensure your long-term care is paid for.

Source:

kffhealthnews.org/news/article/navigating-aging-alone-dementia/