Convalescence of COVID-19 Patients
Like many who become seriously ill with COVID-19, Braganza had underlying medical problems. Before becoming ill, he had had a heart attack and stroke. He walked with a walker and had some age-related memory problems.
Five days after transfer to inpatient rehab, Braganza was walking up and down the hallway using a walker. He was still shaking off the effects of being heavily sedated for so long, and he experienced periods of confusion. When he first came off the ventilator, he mixed up days and nights. Sometimes he did not remember being so sick. A former software engineer, Braganza usually had no problem using technology, but he has had to relearn how to use his phone and connect his iPad to Wi-Fi.
“He is still struggling quite a bit with remembering how to do basic things,” Maria Braganza said. “He has times of being really depressed because he feels like he’s not making progress.”
Doctors are taking note and starting to think about what lies ahead for ICU survivors of COVID-19. They worry about the potential for disease recurrence as well as readmission for other problems, such as other infections and hip fractures.
“As COVID-19 survivors begin to recover, there will be a large burden of chronic critical illness. We expect a significant need for rehabilitation in most ICU survivors of COVID-19,” said Steve Lubinsky, MD, medical director of respiratory care at New York University Langone Tisch Hospital.
Thinking about her father, Maria Braganza brings an extra dimension to these concerns. She thinks about depression, loneliness, and social isolation among older survivors of COVID-19. These problems existed long before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has magnified them.
The rehab staff estimates that Mr. Braganza will spend 10-14 days in their program, but discharge home creates a conundrum. Before becoming ill, Mr. Braganza lived in an independent senior living facility. Now, because of social distancing, he will no longer be able to hang out and have meals with his friends.
“Dad’s already feeling really lonely in the hospital. If we stay on a semipermanent lockdown, will he be able to see the people he loves?” Maria Braganza said. “Even though somebody is older, they have a lot to give and a lot of experience. They just need a little extra to be able to have that life.”
Dr. Nolan, Dr. Chong, Dr. Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Miyakawa, Dr. Gholamrezanezhad, and Dr. Lubinsky report no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.