Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
100 extra home deaths a day as Covid takes toll
THOUSANDS of people are feared to have died alone, in agony, because of the pandemic, as data shows 27,000 more deaths in private homes than usual so far this year.
The Office for National Statistics research found most died of causes other than Covid-19, i ncluding cancer, dementia and heart disease.
The figures were released as the father of Kelly Smith, who died aged just 31 after cancer treatment was halted, warned suspending services in lockdown had “traded lives” and could lead to thousands of early or unnecessary deaths.
Craig Russell said: “Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock need to do the right thing, not trade lives but save lives. Give the NHS the tools they need.”
C r a i g ’s p l e a for action came as figures revealed there were almost 25,000 excess deaths in homes in England from March to September, most not linked to Covid-19.
The data shows a 79% rise in deaths from dementia, a 75% rise in deaths from breast cancer and a 53% rise in deaths from prostate cancer at home.
Caroline Abrahams, director at Age UK said: “Tragically, we know some older people not in contact with services may have just fallen off the radar completely during the pandemic and died alone.” There were 116,000 deaths in private homes registered in England and Wales between the start of 2020 up to September 11. This was a rise of 27,000 or an increase of 23% compared to the five-year average.
Some will have been “exported” from hospitals, but experts fear people may be enduring agonising final hours alone without pain relief.
Usually around 300 people die each day in their homes in England and Wales. Even after the peak of the pandemic, this has stayed at around 400 and shows no sign of declining.
Statistician Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, of Cambridge University, said: “Most people want to die at home. What I would love to know is what proportion have been positive experiences and what have been really awful.”
Most deaths involved people aged 70 to 89 and the leading cause has been coronary heart disease.
Fo r m e n h e a r t disease deaths at home in England were 26% up and bowel cancer deaths, 46% up.
For women, deaths in private homes from dementia and Alzheimer’s increased by 75%.
Simon Jones, director at Marie Curie, demanded “a comprehensive investigation” into home deaths.
Fiona Carragher, director at the Alzheimer’s Society said: “The impact of isolation, fear of coronavirus and suspension of health and social care services will have contributed to the catastrophic increase in people with dementia dying.”
Some older people have fallen off the radar during the pandemic CAROLINE ABRAHAMS AGE UK DIRECTOR