COVID-19 in older adults: what it means

An older person may have fever, cough, breathlessness, tiredness, headache, or a general feeling of being unwell. The illness can also appear as a sudden change in alertness, appetite, mobility, or ability to manage usual tasks. Memory problems can make symptoms harder to describe. Age, frailty, and conditions affecting the heart, lungs, kidneys, or immune system can increase the need for close observation; they do not predict exactly how an individual will fare.

Check in regularly, encourage fluids if the person can drink safely, and note changes in breathing, alertness, temperature, and ability to eat or take regular medicines. Keep the person away from others while they are likely to spread infection and improve ventilation. Contact a clinician promptly after a positive test or new symptoms, especially if the person is frail or takes several medicines, because treatment choices can depend on health history and timing.

Seek emergency help for severe difficulty breathing, blue or grey lips, new severe chest pain, collapse, or a person who cannot be woken normally. Arrange urgent medical assessment for worsening breathlessness, new confusion, marked drowsiness, inability to keep fluids down, or a clear decline in function. Do not wait for a high temperature before seeking advice; older adults can become seriously unwell without a prominent fever.

Ask which symptoms should trigger a call, whether current medicines need review, how to monitor oxygen or hydration if advised, and what support is available if the person becomes too weak to manage alone.