Atypical CV-19 Symptoms in Older Adults

Judith Graham of Kaiser Health News reported that older adults may show unusual symptoms of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this has not been widely reported in the media. Instead, news outlets have focused on the population overall and young children presenting with Kawasaki syndrome.

Graham’s article is recommended reading for first responders, medical professionals, caregivers, family members, and older adults.  During the pandemic, it may be necessary to advocate for older adults who have unusual symptoms.  Everyone has a bad day now and again, but if unusual symptoms continue, action must be taken. “Someone may be just having a bad day. But if they’re not themselves for a couple of days, absolutely reach out to a primary care doctor or a local health system hotline to see if they meet the threshold for [coronavirus] testing,” Vaughan advised. “Be persistent. If you get a ‘no’ the first time and things aren’t improving, call back and ask again” (Graham, 2020, para 26).

Seniors may display atypical COVID-19 symptoms including not being themselves… “off.” Increased sleep, loss of appetite, confusion, apathy, disorientation, dizziness, falling, and aphasia [not talking] are other symptoms unique to older adults. These are also symptoms of other underlying chronic conditions and may confuse caregivers and medical professionals. Graham (2020) provided an example of how first responders did not recognize the symptoms of one older patient. According to Atlanta physician Dr. Quaratulain Syed, the older gentleman did not have typical signs of COVID-19. The patient, who had three chronic conditions, had no fever or cough, just occasional sneezing.  In the days before his diagnosis, he stopped walking, exhibited lethargy, and became incontinent. Several other examples of atypical symptoms in older adults were given in the article.

Don’t ignore any unusual signs or assume it is “just old age.” Get checked out and be tenacious. Be an advocate for you and others.  

Graham, J. (2020, April 20). Kaiser Health News. Seniors with COVID-19 show unusual symptoms, doctors say. Retrieved from https://khn.org/news/seniors-with-covid-19-show-unusual-symptoms-doctors-say/