Mortality and cost of care seniors sharply higher in winter

World November 18, 2015 12:45

- The mortality rate among seniors is Dutch in the winter 21 percent higher than in the summer, healthcare costs are winter 13 percent higher. According to research from Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing to seasonal effects on mortality, cost of care and nursing home admissions among more than 60,000 Dutch people aged 65 years.

The mortality and health care expenditure of over-65s in the work of a regional Dutch insurer appeared highest in the fall and winter. FactorenAls research be extended to the entire population of seniors in the Netherlands, this implies that each year about 7 000 more elderly people died in the fall and winter and that medical care expenses for them in this seasons more than 600 million euros higher than in spring and summer. Several causes can be identified for the difference between the seasons in mortality and health care expenditure. Most obvious are climatic factors such as temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and the presence or absence of sunlight. Researcher Herbert Rolden: " During extremely hot summer days appear soon media reports about the risks for the elderly, but our research suggests that the cold months are more dangerous. Still temperature can not be the only reason for the observed association. Thus we see that the seasonal variation among older people in care or nursing homes, staying relatively much inside is as big as for older people living at home. " GriepOok external factors can play a role in Rolden in seasonal patterns, such as air pollution or the flu, which is more common in winter: " Further research is needed into the exact influence of these factors on mortality and disease among Dutch elderly. " About the study is an article published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.