COVID-19 Stay-At-Home Orders and Older Adults' Cognitive Health - United States, June 2018-February 2022

China CDC Wkly. 2022 Nov 11;4(45):1002-1006. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2022.203.

Abstract

What is already known about this topic?: Lack of social activities is known to negatively impact cognitive functioning and increase risk of cognitive impairment, including dementia, among older adults.

What is added by this report?: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) stay-at-home orders implemented in the U.S. early during the pandemic were not found to negatively affect cognitive functioning of older adults.

What are the implications for public health practice?: There may have been no severe, unintended consequences of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in terms of their impact on cognitive functioning and risk of dementia among older adults, lending further support to use of such orders.

Keywords: COVID-19; cognition; older adults; stay-at-home orders.