What You Should Know About Pneumonia in Seniors
When a person ages, certain changes are inevitable. A lot of these changes are related to the physical aspect. Many older adults have medical conditions with symptoms that they have to deal with on a daily basis. Families often partner with senior care agencies, like Sage Home Care, a provider of personal care in Danbury and the surrounding areas, for help managing conditions like pneumonia in seniors.
Symptoms of pneumonia
One such condition is pneumonia where one or both of the patient’s lungs are affected. Pneumonia can be caused by a bacteria or a virus. You should watch out for its symptoms in your senior loved ones which include:
- coughing with yellow or green sputum
- shortness of breath
- chest pains
- chills
- fever
Why seniors are at higher risks of contracting pneumonia
Taking advantage of quality home care can help seniors with pneumonia deal with their condition. Why is there a huge possibility of seniors contracting pneumonia? Here are some reasons:
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Many seniors already have weak immune systems as a result of old age. Consequently, their bodies cannot effectively fight off the disease.
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Old age also makes their bodies frail with several bodily functions possibly not working as efficiently as before.
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Having existing conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, asthma, and more also increases your loved ones’ risks of contracting pneumonia.
How pneumonia is diagnosed and treated
Doctors conduct a variety of tests that include blood tests and chest x-rays to diagnose pneumonia in seniors. Bacterial pneumonia may be treated with antibiotics while patients with viral pneumonia may be prescribed with antiviral medicines.
Your senior loved ones may receive home care for mild cases. For severe ones, they may need to be hospitalized, especially if there is an underlying condition causing pneumonia.
Tips to minimize risks of pneumonia in your aging family members
As someone capable of caring for your aging family members, you can use the following tips to minimize risks of pneumonia in them.
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Remind your loved ones about proper hygiene. Let them wash their hands regularly and maintain their hygiene routines.
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Serve them healthy meals and remind them to exercise regularly to strengthen their immune systems.
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Urge them to quit smoking if they are still doing so.
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Get them the necessary flu shots and pneumococcal vaccines for their good health.
Through our services and care team, Sage Home Care aims to help you care for your family members who may need home care in Danbury or a surrounding area. If you’d like to talk to our friendly staff about our care programs, including dementia care and personal care in Danbury or a surrounding community, please get in touch with us today!