Excess Deaths in Private Homes

[PetitFours]

The Guardian have reported ONS figures which show 25,000 excess deaths in private homes this year, most of which are non-covid related.

Is this evidence that people aren't seeking (or can't get) medical invention for non-covid related conditions? For example, the report states that deaths from heart disease in hospital are below average but above average at home.

What steps can be taken to address this or is it unavoidable in the current circumstances?

mobile.twitter.com/john_actuary/status/1318121644993499136

I wonder if a lot of people who would normally have gone into hospital for end of life care chose not to - preferring to be at home with family etc. Just speculation though.

During total lockdown an elderly couple of neighbours were self isolating, the husband didn’t realise how bad the wife’s dementia was until he had to go into hospital and a relative came to collect the wife, who at this stage was in quite a bad way. She went into a home and sadly died a couple of months later.

Some people will be choosing not to go into hospital for end of life care. An elderly relative didn't want to go because she knew she would have no visitors and didn't want her last few weeks to be like that even if it meant she might die slightly earlier.