Pneumonia is an inflammatory lung infection that commonly affects the elderly. Though this infection can be life-threatening in older patients, pneumonia symptoms in the elderly can be vague, mild or difficult to identify. Elderly patients who exhibit any pneumonia symptoms should be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible.
Body Temperature Alterations
Though a sudden, high fever is common in young or adult patients with pneumonia, elderly patients with this infection can develop alternate body temperature changes. Older patients may exhibit a low-grade fever between 99 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit that develops slowly over a few days, explains PDRHealth, a medical information website associated with the "Physicians' Desktop Reference." Additional fever-related symptoms, such as headache, chills or sweating, may also arise. Alternatively, certain elderly patients may experience a decrease in their normal body temperature as a pneumonia symptom, warn medical experts with MayoClinic.com. Elderly patients who develop a fever or any alternate signs of body temperature changes should be evaluated by a physician immediately.
Changes in Cough or Breathing Difficulties
Elderly patients may have a long-lasting cough due to normal lung changes that take place during the aging process. When elderly patients develop pneumonia, changes in the sound or frequency of chronic cough symptoms can occur, warns PDRHealth. Elderly patients can develop a deep, congested cough that produces discolored or blood-tinged mucus. These pneumonia symptoms in the elderly can contribute to breathing difficulties, such as an increased breathing rate or shortness of breath. New or altered cough symptoms or breathing difficulties can be serious and affected elderly patients should seek prompt medical care.
Weakness or Fatigue
Even slight sensations of weakness or fatigue may be symptoms of pneumonia in the elderly, explain health professionals with the University of Maryland Medical Center. Elderly patients who experience weakness or fatigue may have trouble moving about normally or may sleep for longer periods of time throughout the day. If an elderly patient develops unusual feelings of fatigue or weakness that persist for more than a day, he should contact a medical professional for additional care and guidance.
Confusion or Disorientation
Elderly patients with pneumonia can appear abnormally confused or disoriented as a symptom of infection, reports the National Health Service. As a result, elderly patients with pneumonia can struggle to remember where they placed certain items or they may appear to forget where they are or where they were planning to go. Confusion and disorientation are also symptoms that can arise due to normal aging and can be difficult to identify in elderly patients with pneumonia. Elderly patients who experience severe, persistent or worsening confusion or disorientation should be seen by a doctor as these pneumonia symptoms can also be signs of brain disorders, such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
