A new study on the effects of COVID-19 in older adults warns that symptoms in those over 65 aren’t necessarily the same as in younger people who have contracted the virus.
According to The New York Times, the study, published in the Journals of Gerontology found that about 25% of older patients reported a functional decline.
“This was falls, fatigue, weakness, difficulty walking or getting out of bed,” said Dr. Allison Marziliano, lead author of the study. Marziliano is a social and health psychologist at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
About 11% of those over 65 experienced altered mental status — “confusion, agitation, forgetfulness, lethargy,” she said.
The likelihood of atypical symptoms grows as in older patients, the study showed. Nearly one-third of those 65 to 74 had uncommon COVID-19 symptoms, while more than 44% of those older than 85 had atypical symptoms.
The study also saw atypical symptoms occurring more with women, in Black patients and those who had other chronic diseases, The Times story reported.
About half the group with atypical symptoms also suffered from at least one of the classic COVID symptoms such as coughing, trouble breathing, or fever.
The study mirrored other studies on geriatric patients, The Times reported.
