People Who Live Alone Are in Danger of Cognitive Decline

Researchers led by UC San Francisco determined in a study published in JAMA Network Open that the United States health system is ill-equipped to support patients living alone with cognitive decline, a group whose numbers are expected to grow as the population ages. The providers raised concerns about patients missing medical appointments, failing to respond to follow-up phone calls from the doctor’s office, and forgetting why appointments were made, leaving them vulnerable to falling off the radar.