Diagnosing COVID-19 continues to be a daunting task as many are asymptomatic, or symptoms are inconsistent across age groups. While confusion is not a common symptom for younger COVID patients, nearly a third of patients over 65 admitted to hospitals report experiencing confusion or mental impairment. “Delirium,” which can include disorientation, agitation, and impaired consciousness, can often signal a significant health challenge, but unfortunately, can go unrecognized in patients with dementia. Symptoms like delirium and dizziness are not considered part of the standard symptom checklist that is used when determining who gets tested for COVID-19, leading some experts to argue this could be why nursing homes see such large infection spread and COVID-19 deaths.
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