Old
people often have limited regenerative abilities and are more prone to disease,
syndromes, and sickness than younger. The body of an elderly person is
substantially different physiologically from that of an adult. Old age is the
period of manifestation of decline of the various organ systems in the body.
This varies according to various reserves in the organs (e.g. Smokers consume
their respiratory system reserve early and rapidly).
The
decline in physiological reserve in organs makes the elderly vulnerable disease
(as dehydration from a mild gastroenteritis) and liable to have complications
from mild problems (Fever in elderly may cause confusion leading to a fall and
fracture of neck of femur).
Presentations
of diseases in the elderly may be vague and non-specific or present with
delirium. Pneumonia may present with low grade fever, dehydration, confusion.
Some elderly may find difficulty expressing their symptoms especially if the
disease is active and causing confusion or if they have cognitive impairment.
Delirium in the elderly may be caused by anything from constipation to a
serious problem like myocardial infarction.
