In our lifetimes, we all experience infections of many kinds. These can be as simple as a common cold, or more severe, requiring medical care. For many of us, most if not all infections we might experience are not much of a threat. But for the senior population, it’s a much more serious concern.
For those of us aged 65 years and older, 1/3 of all deaths are due to infection.1 This is partly because an infection can be hard to spot in elderly people. Do you know the warning signs, and what kinds of common infections to watch for? Read on to learn more!
Health problems that increase the risk of infection
As people age, health problems that can increase the risk for infection are more common. If you or a loved one have multiple chronic diseases or experience any of the following conditions, it’s especially important to watch for signs of infection:
- Type II diabetes
- A compromised immune system, for example, due to cancer or HIV
- Autoimmune disease
- An indwelling urinary catheter
- Any other tubes or drains in place
- An implanted port, or PICC line
- Regular use of steroid medication due to any condition
- Poor nutrition
- Incontinence or mobility issues
Where in the body are infections often found?
There are several common sites of infection in the body that you should know to watch for:
- Respiratory
- Skin
- Urinary tract
- Gastrointestinal (GI)
- Bloodstream
- Bone
What kinds of symptoms should I watch for?
As we mentioned earlier, infection can be harder to identify in seniors. One reason for this is that fever may be less likely due to immune system changes as we age. Another is that communication difficulties due to problems like dementia can mean that a person may be unaware of problems or unable to tell a caregiver they don’t feel well.
If you are a caregiver, it is very important to remember that if your loved one has a sudden change in behavior, such as increased confusion or agitation, it could be a warning sign of infection. The same is true for any sudden increase in weakness or sleepiness.
Let’s look closer at symptoms you might notice:
Respiratory symptoms
With the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all become familiar with watching for symptoms of respiratory infection. Influenza and pneumonia are also common respiratory infections. In fact, pneumonia is a leading cause of death from infection in seniors.2 Symptoms of respiratory infection include:
- Fever
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Body aches
- Headache
- With COVID-19, loss of taste and smell, and GI symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea can also be common
Skin infection symptoms
Skin infections can happen for many reasons in seniors and are very common. Caring for aging skin and watching closely for problems, especially hidden ones, is extremely important. Incontinence and immobility can especially increase the risk of wounds developing, which can then become infected. Symptoms of skin infection include:
- Fever
- Redness, especially when it spreads
- Swelling
- Pain
- Warmth around an area of redness, pain, or swelling
- Drainage
If any of these symptoms are worsening, or are at the site of a drain or tube, it’s important to let your doctor know right away. Waiting can result in a much more severe infection developing quickly.
Urinary tract infection symptoms
In older adults, it is very common for urinary tract infections to cause confusion, lethargy, or even other behavior changes such as agitation. They may not experience the more obvious symptoms, which include:
- Burning or pain with urination
- Blood in the urine
- Cloudy urine
- Foul-smelling urine
- Needing to urinate more frequently (frequency)
- Having an urgent need to urinate (urgency)
- Pain or pressure in the pelvis
- Abdominal pain, side (flank) pain, or lower back pain
- In more severe UTIs, fever, fatigue, and/or vomiting
As with skin infections, any sign or suspicion of urinary tract infection should be addressed with the help of your doctor right away.
Gastrointestinal (GI) infection symptoms
A GI infection can quickly lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and other serious problems. This is especially true in older adults with a history of diabetes, underlying problems with proper nutrition, or other medical concerns. Some GI infections can be caused by a virus. Others are caused by bacteria, such as c-difficile or “c-diff”. (This infection is more common after antibiotic use.) Symptoms of GI infection include:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Blood in the stool or vomit
- Dizziness
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Weakness
- Confusion
Any blood in the stool or vomit, or black or tarry-colored stool or vomit, should be reported to your doctor immediately. Because dehydration can cause serious problems quickly, any inability to keep down fluids for more than a few hours is also concerning. Dizziness or rapid/irregular heartbeat should also be addressed by a healthcare professional right away. If you’re not sure, call 911 or go to the emergency room– don’t wait.
Bloodstream infection symptoms
This type of infection results from another infection spreading throughout the bloodstream. For example, it commonly starts with a urinary tract infection that goes untreated. Although this can happen at any age, it is most common over the age of 65 and has a 12-20% fatality rate.3 Also called sepsis, this is a serious medical emergency.
Signs to watch for include:
- Fever
- Chills (sometimes severe)
- Very low body temperature
- Discolored or blotchy skin
- Low blood pressure or dizziness
- Weakness and fatigue
- Peeing less
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Sweating, or clammy skin
- Confusion
- Severe pain
If you or your loved one have any of the above symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
Bone infection symptoms
Also called osteomyelitis, infection in the bone can happen due to infection spreading from a wound or other skin infection. It can also happen after joint replacements or surgery. People with diabetes are more prone to this kind of infection. Chronic sores such as bedsores (also called pressure ulcers) increase the risk as well. Some symptoms of bone infection include:
- Swelling around a joint or bone
- Fever
- Tenderness, redness, and warmth around a joint or bone
- Severe back pain
- Trouble moving a limb or joint
Infections in bone are hard to identify and sometimes challenging to treat. Untreated, they can lead to amputations and bloodstream infections. If you’re concerned that any symptoms you’ve noticed could be a bone infection, it’s important to let your doctor know.
Preventing and treating infection
With any of the above infections, it’s always best to contact your doctor if you have any concerns or questions, or think you have noticed symptoms of infection. Infection can become serious and even life-threatening quickly, especially for an older adult.
To help avoid infection, there are some steps you can take. Staying up to date on vaccines as recommended by your doctor can help prevent respiratory infections. This includes the COVID-19 vaccination, the annual flu vaccine, and pneumonia vaccines. Good nutrition is also important to help your immune system stay healthy. Manage any chronic health conditions by taking your medications as prescribed and with regular doctor visits. And finally, staying mobile and maintaining good hygiene can protect you from wounds, skin infections, and urinary tract infections.
If you need extra help with day-to-day personal care activities and ambulating, a professional in-home caregiver can also help maintain your best health to avoid infection. For more information on these services through Caresify’s expert team of caregivers, you can check out our homepage or call 888-799-5007.
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