Over Half of U.S. Seniors Have Disruption in Care

A new survey shows that 1 in 6 U.S. seniors are having disruptions to important medical care due to social distancing restrictions from the COVID-19 crisis.

In a survey of Americans aged 70 and older from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 55 percent of respondents said they’ve experienced disruptions to planned and preventative medical care during the first month of social distancing. 15 percent said they’ve experienced delays to essential medical procedures, while 39 percent and 32 percent said they’ve experienced delays to non-essential and preventative care, respectfully.

The survey also showed how only 1 in 5 seniors have scheduled doctor appointments via phone or video chat. 40 percent of respondents said they felt telehealth measures were worse or much worse than an in-person doctor’s visit. A growing number of self-isolated seniors are also experiencing high levels of loneliness.