Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
EditorialDying at home of Covid-19: Meeting the need for home-based care.
Despite the increased burden of Covid-19 on older adults, ethical and public health frameworks lack adequate guidance for elderly patients who manage severe, even fatal, illness at home. The U. S. ⋯ Older patients are more susceptible to experiencing severe illness at home from which they may not recover; and if they do seek medical care, they tend to suffer worse outcomes than younger patients in intensive care settings. Given their likelihood of severe illness, worse outcomes in intensive care settings, and potential difficulty accessing resources, frail, disabled, and otherwise vulnerable older patients may face Covid-19 at home without adequate resources, information, or support for home-based care. This editorial proposes three approaches to prevent needless suffering and ensure that this vulnerable population continues to receive needed care.