Healthcare utilization among older adults with ADRD after large-scale hurricanes

Recent disasters have devastated parts of the United States. These events are expected to occur with increasing frequency and severity as the impacts of climate change advance. For individuals living with dementia, the disruption in patterns of daily living caused by a disaster can be highly disorienting and lead to acute changes in health and well-being. We hypothesize that older Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are at particular risk for poor health outcomes that result from the disruption of a disaster, leading to an increased use of healthcare during these times. Using Medicare claims data, we will estimate the effect of a disaster on the frequency of types of healthcare utilization for individuals with ADRD. The proposed study will fill critical gaps in knowledge about the health effects of disasters on older adults living with ADRD.