Residents with a dementia record were more likely to have a COVID-19 diagnosis than those with no dementia record

COVID-19 outbreaks in residential aged care facilities

The percentages shown in this section are based on anyone who had a residential aged care episode recorded in the COVID-19 Register at any time during each study period, representing people who were theoretically at risk of infection while living in residential aged care. 

However, it should be noted that across Australia, the cumulative number of aged care facilities that had had a COVID-19 outbreak was smaller during the 24-month pre-Omicron period (521 facilities at the end of 2021, mostly in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW)) than during the 12-month Omicron period: 2,788 facilities at the end of 2022, which included most of the residential aged care homes across Australia that were operational at 30 June 2022 as well as outlets or facilities for other aged care programs that provided residential care (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 2022; 2025). This analysis excluded residents of aged care services in Western Australia (about 250 services) (see Location of aged care services).

Figure 2.2 is an interactive chart where readers can explore differences in COVID-19 diagnoses among aged care residents, by COVID-19 period, dementia status and for selected population groups: sex, age group and region of residence (state or territory and socioeconomic area).

During the pre-Omicron period, while living in residential aged care:

  • 2,210 people with a dementia record had a COVID-19 diagnosis - this represents 1.2% of all people who had a dementia record and lived in residential aged care at some time during the pre-Omicron period (Figure 2.2)
  • 1,180 people (1.0%) with no dementia record had a COVID-19 diagnosis (Figure 2.2).

During the Omicron period, while living in residential aged care: 

  • 56,830 people with a dementia record had a COVID-19 diagnosis - this represents 43% of all people who had a dementia record and lived in residential aged care at some time during the Omicron period (Figure 2.2)
  • 31,790 people (37%) with no dementia record had a COVID-19 diagnosis (Figure 2.2).

These results align with previous findings that people living with dementia are more susceptible to infections, including COVID-19, in part because cognitive symptoms can cause difficulties with following safeguarding procedures (such as hand hygiene or wearing masks) and physical distancing is not feasible when people rely on external care (Mok et al. 2020; Janbek et al. 2021; Numbers and Brodaty 2021).

Key findings by population group include:

  • A higher number of women had a COVID-19 diagnosis than men, but the percentage with a COVID-19 diagnosis was similar for women and men within each group (Figure 2.2, ‘Sex’).
  • The number of COVID-19 diagnoses increased with age, but the percentage of residents with a diagnosis was lowest in residents aged 90 and over (Figure 2.2, ‘Age group’).
  • During the pre-Omicron period, almost all COVID-19 diagnoses were in Victoria and NSW:
    • in Victoria, 3.7% of residents with a dementia record and 2.5% of those with no dementia record had a COVID-19 diagnosis
    • in NSW, the percentage was about 0.5% for residents with and without a dementia record (Figure 2.2, ‘State / Territory’).
  • During the Omicron period, 45%–50% of residents with a dementia record in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory had a COVID-19 diagnosis, compared with 37% in Queensland and 40% in South Australia.
  • The percentage of residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis generally increased with increasing socioeconomic area of residence, except for the lowest socioeconomic areas, where there were relatively high percentages of COVID-19 diagnosis (Figure 2.2, ‘Socioeconomic area’). 

Figure 2.2: Number and percentage of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis between January 2020 and December 2022, by COVID-19 period, dementia status and population group

A series of bar charts shows the number and percentage of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis was higher among those with a dementia record, across most population groups. 

A series of bar charts shows the number and percentage of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis was higher among those with a dementia record, across most population groups. 

Notes: 

  1. The denominator for each group is the total number of people who had a permanent or respite residential aged care episode recorded in the COVID-19 Register at any time during the COVID-19 period.
  2. Place of residence data were primarily based on a person’s latest SA2 information in the Medicare Consumer Directory in the COVID-19 Register (excluding Western Australia). 
  3. State and territory data in the pre-Omicron period are only shown for Victoria and NSW due to data confidentiality rules for small counts.
  4. Analysis by socioeconomic area was based on the 2021 Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) quintiles, where 1 is the most disadvantaged area and 5 is the least disadvantaged area. The socioeconomic area of a person’s residential aged care facility may not be the same as the socioeconomic area/s they previously lived in.
  5. Abbreviations: ACT: Australian Capital Territory, NSW: New South Wales, NT: Northern Territory, QLD: Queensland, SA: South Australia, TAS: Tasmania, VIC: Victoria.

For downloadable data tables, see Table S2.1 in Data tables (Profile of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis). 

Regional and remote areas

During the pre-Omicron period, there was limited spread of COVID-19 to rural and remote areas of Australia (AIHW 2022). Data are presented for the total study period because the number of COVID-19 diagnoses among aged care residents in the pre-Omicron period was too small to report separately for regional and remote areas (Figure 2.3). See Table S4.1 for aggregated counts of COVID-19 diagnoses among residents in regional and remote areas in the pre-Omicron period.

Over the total study period, most aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis lived in Major cities: 73% of residents with a dementia record and 69% of residents with no dementia record (Table S2.2). This may be partly related to the increased number of residential aged care and dementia-specific services in metropolitan areas (see People using aged care).

For residents with a dementia record, the percentage with a COVID-19 diagnosis was higher in Major cities (30%) than in regional and remote areas (an average of 25%). For residents with no dementia record, the percentage with a COVID-19 diagnosis decreased from 26% in Major cities to 17% in Very remote areas (Figure 2.3).

Figure 2.3: Number and percentage of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis between January 2020 and December 2022, by dementia status and remoteness area

Bar chart shows a higher number and percentage of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis in Major cities than in regional and remote areas.

Bar chart shows a higher number and percentage of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis in Major cities than in regional and remote areas.

Notes: 

  1. The denominator for each group is the total number of people who had a permanent or respite residential aged care episode recorded in the COVID-19 Register at any time during the COVID-19 period.
  2. Place of residence data were primarily based on a person’s latest SA2 information in the Medicare Consumer Directory in the COVID-19 Register (excluding Western Australia). 

For downloadable data tables, see Table S2.1 in Data tables (Profile of aged care residents with a COVID-19 diagnosis). 


Previous page
Next page