Excess Mortality in Long-Term Care Residents With and Without Personal Contact With Family or Friends During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Despite evidence of disparities in excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic,1 less is known about the unequal impacts within long-term care (LTC).2 Even prepandemic, many residents experienced loneliness and social isolation.3 The most isolated—those without living family or friends, or who are geographically distant or estranged from them4—often receive increased care and support from LTC staff.5 With the demands of COVID-19, these efforts may not have been possible to sustain. This may have led already socially vulnerable residents to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19, especially without family and friends to advocate for needed care or provide emotional support.