Dementia As Cause of Death Widely Underreported

by Administrator 15. December 2008 18:00

Alzheimer's disease and dementia are dramatically underreported as a cause of death for seniors in nursing homes, according to a recently published research paper.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that, among seniors in nursing homes with confirmed cases of dementia, only 16% of death certificates listed the ailment as the cause of death and 37% of death certificates did not even mention the condition as a contributing factor. Roughly 33% of death certificates for those with confirmed cases of Alzheimer's disease did not mention that condition as a main or contributing cause of death. Alzheimer's disease is the fifth leading cause of death among those aged 65 and older, according to 2004 statistics.

Instances of dementia-related deaths could be up to four times as high as are currently reported, and better understanding of the fatal nature of the disease could lead to fewer unnecessary medical procedures toward the end of life, they say. The research paper appears in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Tags:

Aging Successfully | Demographics & Aging | Health & Medical | Home & Senior Housing | Gerontology / Geriatrics | Alzheimier's & Dementia

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About the Author

John Rothbarth is the owner of the St. Louis Times, a media company focused on serving the informational needs of the St. Louis metro-area aging baby boomer/60+ population. The company publishes the St. Louis Times Resource Guide, St. Louis Times Express, and hosts St. Louis Times Funfest and St. Louis Times Geriatrics Symposium events. The company was founded in 1994 and has remained true to its original mission of 'doing some good for older adults and the professionals who work on their behalf.'

Since 1994 the company has won over 20 National Media Awards. He has participated on many local Boards of Directors, all of whom cater to the needs of our area’s aging population. For 2009 he is also President of Breakthrough Coalition, a consortium of over 250 aging-focused organizations and  professionals dedicated to serving the needs of older adults in the St. Louis / Illinois bi-state area.

John is a native St. Louisan, father of two sons, and graduate of the University of Missouri - Columbia with a BS degree in Business Administration. His interests include reading mysteries, jogging, motorcycling, and aviation - he is a pilot with instrument, multi-engine and seaplane ratings.

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