New Study Finds That Almost Half of Older Adults Die With a Dementia Diagnosis
Nearly 1 in 2 older adults now die with a diagnosis of dementia listed on their medical record, a 36 percent rise from two decades ago. The research, published April 1 in JAMA Health Forum, found the greatest increases in dementia diagnoses in hospice, inpatient, and home health settings.However, the increase may be the consequence of more detailed medical records, Medicare billing rules, and an increase in public awareness around dementia rather than an actual rise in the prevalence of dementia, according to researchers.Those changes could provide the opportunity for more older adults to talk in advance with their families and healthcare providers about the kind of care they want at the end of life if they do develop Alzheimer’s disease or another form of cognitive decline, the authors note.Although…