95 Percent of Americans Killed by COVID Were 50+

Introduce a new virus to the mix — one the body hasn't met before and has no defenses against — and “it can just overwhelm the system,” Inouye adds.

As far as long-term care centers go, the CDC says their “communal nature” — with a lot of people living and working together in a confined, indoor space — creates an environment ripe for rapid spread of a pathogen like the coronavirus. Plus, residents in these facilities tend to be frailer and have more complex health conditions than older adults living on their own, making it more difficult for them to fend off a new infection.

What's more, nursing homes across the country have reported shortages of medical-grade masks, gowns, gloves and other forms of personal protective equipment that help to block the transmission of the virus, an AARP analysis finds. Staffing shortages are also on the rise in these facilities, which is not ideal when it comes to limiting person-to-person contact.

"Older Americans are taking COVID very seriously and are paying very close attention to the news on this, and we are seeing that show up in poll after poll,” says Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs at AARP. “They are demanding that their elected officials take this pandemic seriously, as well."

One reassuring trend: While COVID-19 infection rates are greater now than they were between April and June, and hospitalizations continue to remain highest among older adults, the death rate has declined since the first few months of the outbreak, according to CDC data. “We're getting better at knowing how to treat COVID,” Inouye says.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 in some hospitalized patients, and a handful of other therapies have been shown to help some seriously ill patients recover, including common corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone. Techniques such as proning (positioning patients on their stomachs) and the use of nose prongs or face masks to deliver oxygen have also aided in the recovery of hospitalized patients.

"We just know a lot more now clinically about the disease and how to manage it,” Inouye says. And with the likelihood that a vaccine will prove safe and effective in the not-too-distant future, things are “looking hopeful,” she adds.

But there's still a lot to learn about how patients — particularly older ones — recover from COVID-19 after hospitalization. A growing number of coronavirus survivors report lingering symptoms of the illness, long after the virus has run its course. Houston Methodist's Masud says many older adults “can't function” the way they used to before COVID-19. “They can't walk around, they still can't catch their breath. We're finding out that the lungs take a hit with scarring. We're finding out that a lot of them have memory issues,” he adds.

Determining the types of ongoing care these patients need and the best way to provide it has become a focus for many doctors now. “How are we going to manage these patients who made it alive, but [the virus] still has so much impact on their lives?” Masud asks.

In the meantime, older adults can take a number of steps to reduce their risk of illness and death from COVID-19. Continue to limit in-person interactions as much as possible, and when you do need to go out in public, avoid crowded indoor areas, wear a mask and keep at least 6 feet of space between yourself and others.

"I would say our greatest impact on quelling the COVID pandemic, certainly in New York, was through non-pharmacological interventions,” Brooklyn Hospital Center's Gasperino says.

Also: If you have a chronic health condition, make sure you are managing your disease. Stay on top of the medications your doctor has prescribed you, and be sure to eat healthy, manage your stress and get plenty of exercise, says Paula Lester, a geriatrician at NYU Langone Health.