How do you manage covid in an aging parent

[Longhairf]

My mother is 71. Over the past few years I suspected the dementia with her due to some issues but it's hard to get a diagnosis because it's not typical forgetfulness.

I got covid earlier in the week. Yesterday evening my mother wasn't 100% but she wrote it off and gave excuses for other things. I knew that covid is probably likely.

She woke up sick this morning. She didn't test because there's no point. It's covid, for sure.

I don't know exactly what her symptoms are but she's very tired, weak, faint, flush. I reckon she has chills and fevers. She's asleep a lot.

.she's not drinking enough water and she hasn't got up to go to the toilet. I am concerned that she may become dehydrated.

So how do I magage this?
Would she need the hospital?

Do I monitor her for the afternoon and see what happens?

Are you in her house Live near her ? I don't think she needs hospital yet wake her for paracetamol and give her some water and keep an eye on her for deteration. And phone out of hours .

Sounds like she needs discussing with a real life HCP with those symptoms - it could be covid, or it could be any of the other common illnesses that affect older folk. And there is a point in testing if you/she have tests because a) it may give/exclude a diagnosis, b) it may help with care in hospital if she does need to go as they'd be able to isolate/cohort sensibly from the start. My dad was a similar age, but without the cognitive problems. Similar sounding symptoms with covid (tested positive) but 'coping' at home. He went off radar soon after and I found his body the next day. I very much regret accepting his 'don't worry love, I'm fine' and not being the irritating bossy medical relative.

Has she had all the covid vaccines she is entitled to? Most older people who have been vaccinated now only get a fairly mild illness. I am a similar age and I had it recently and had temperature, aches, runny nose, headache, tiredness for several days but it was not serious and was completely back to normal in around 10 days.

Most older people I know who have had it in the last year or so were similar, as long as vaccinated and no other serious medical conditions.

My DF has had it a few times. The first time he got it in hospital after a fall and that was really bad, he nearly died. In a lot of ways it would have been better if he had as he ended up being in hospital for months and couldn't get rehab for the fall.

He's since has all the vaccinations and has ir a couple of times in the nursing home, he's really frail but it's been quite mild.

Obviously if your DM gets really sick then she'll need to go in. But better to treat at home if you can.

My 80yo DF had it for the first time recently and was broadly fine. I think because he’d had a spring booster it was probably milder than it could have been. He took paracetamol for the first few days and was only in bed ill for a couple of days. He was tired for a good while after. You could buy a pulse oximeter (Cheap and quick delivery from Amazon) which might help reassure you that oxygen levels fine and don’t need a&e. There is also growing evidence that the over the counter nasal sprays (eg vicks first defence) can shorten a viral illness, but not sure if that is specifically covid.

Start with the basics and get her to test. There are some nasty bugs going around that aren't covid. Any gp or hospital will ask if you have tested.

Then treat as normal, lots of fluids, paracetamol & nurofen alternated to control aches and fever. Plenty of sleep. Home made veggie soup if she's hungry.

Contact every day to check she isn't deteriorating. Get her an oximeter if you are worried but if she's been vaccinated, she should be ok.