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Nothelle S, Bollens-Lund E, Covinsky KE, Kelley A. Frequency and implications of coexistent manifestations of serious illness in older adults with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023; 71:2184-2193. [PMID: 36914983 PMCID: PMC10363196 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In older adults, serious illness comprises three manifestations: dementia, activity of daily living (ADL) impairment, and other advanced medical conditions (AMC; e.g., end-stage renal disease). Little is known about how dementia and other manifestations of serious illness co-occur. We aim to describe the prevalence of persons with dementia (PWD) who are living with additional manifestations of serious illness, and the implications on healthcare utilization, Medicare costs, caregiving hours and out-of-pocket expenses. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, we use data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) linked to Medicare fee-for-service claims. We limited inclusion to adults >65 years. Dementia was determined using validated methodology that incorporates functional and cognitive test scores from HRS. We classified PWD as having dementia alone, dementia and an AMC (irrespective of ADL impairment) or dementia and ADL impairment (without an AMC). Healthcare utilization and Medicare costs were measured in claims, caregiving hours and out-of-pocket expenses were self-reported. RESULTS Most PWD (67%) met criteria for another manifestation of serious illness (24% advanced medical condition, 44% ADL impairment). PWD and an AMC had the highest proportion of hospital use and the highest median total Medicare costs ($17,900 vs. $8962 dementia + ADL impairment vs. $4376 dementia alone). Mean total hours of caregiving per month were similar for PWD and an AMC and PWD and ADL impairment (142.9 and 141.9 h, respectively), while mean hours were much lower for PWD alone (47.7 h). Median out-of-pocket costs were highest for PWD and ADL impairment ($13,261) followed by PWD and an AMC ($10,837) and PWD alone ($7017). CONCLUSIONS PWD commonly face another manifestation of serious illness. Dementia and ADL impairment was associated with the highest costs for PWD and families while dementia and an AMC was associated with the highest costs for Medicare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Nothelle
- Center for Transformative Geriatrics Research, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Center for Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
- Roger C. Lipitz Center for Integrated Health Care, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Evan Bollens-Lund
- Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Kenneth E Covinsky
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Amy Kelley
- Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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Omlor R, Cleveland J, Brooten J, Frechman E, Gabbard J. Anticipatory Guidance in Dementia Across the Stages #455. J Palliat Med 2023; 26:727-729. [PMID: 37130281 PMCID: PMC10325801 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Omlor
- Address correspondence to: Rebecca Omlor, MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Transitional and Supportive Care, 8th Floor Janeway Tower, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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Harrison KL, Cenzer I, Smith AK, Hunt LJ, Kelley AS, Aldridge MD, Covinsky KE. Functional and clinical needs of older hospice enrollees with coexisting dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023; 71:785-798. [PMID: 36420734 PMCID: PMC10023265 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Medicare Hospice Benefit increasingly serves people dying with dementia. We sought to understand characteristics, hospice use patterns, and last-month-of-life care quality ratings among hospice enrollees with dementia coexisting with another terminal illness as compared to enrollees with a principal hospice diagnosis of dementia, and enrollees with no dementia. METHODS We conducted a pooled cross-sectional study among decedent Medicare beneficiaries age 70+ using longitudinal data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) (last interview before death; after-death proxy interview) linked to Medicare hospice claims (2011-2017). We used unadjusted and adjusted regression analyses to compare characteristics of hospice enrollees with coexisting dementia to two groups: (1) enrollees with a principal dementia diagnosis, and (2) enrollees with no dementia. RESULTS Among 1105 decedent hospice enrollees age 70+, 40% had coexisting dementia, 16% had a principal diagnosis of dementia, and 44% had no dementia. In adjusted analyses, enrollees with coexisting dementia had high rates of needing help with 3-6 activities of daily living, similar to enrollees with principal dementia (62% vs. 67%). Enrollees with coexisting dementia had high clinical needs, similar to those with no dementia, for example, 63% versus 61% had bothersome pain. Care quality was worse for enrollees with coexisting dementia versus principal dementia (e.g., 61% vs. 79% had anxiety/sadness managed) and similar to those with no dementia. Enrollees with coexisting dementia had similar hospice use patterns as those with principal diagnoses and higher rates of problematic use patterns compared to those with no dementia (e.g., 16% vs. 10% live disenrollment, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS People with coexisting dementia have functional needs comparable to enrollees with principal diagnoses of dementia, and clinical needs comparable to enrollees with no dementia. Changes to hospice care models and policy may be needed to ensure appropriate dementia care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista L Harrison
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Irena Cenzer
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alexander K Smith
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lauren J Hunt
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Amy S Kelley
- Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- James J. Peters Bronx VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Melissa D Aldridge
- Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- James J. Peters Bronx VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Kenneth E Covinsky
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
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