Can old people get shingles if they are around someone who has it?

No. Shingles (herpes zoster) are a recurrent outbreak of the virus Varicella zoster that affects people who had chicken pox at an earlier age.

Shingles itelf is not transmitted from person to person. However, the active virus can infect those (such as children) who have never encountered it, and they may get chicken pox.