by Chloe McGrath
What You Should Know About Pneumonia
Did you know pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or even fungi?
Pneumonia is a serious infection of the lung and it can be extremely dangerous for the elderly, so here’s what you should you know about it. As they age, seniors are more susceptible to pneumonia due to weakened gag reflex, declining immunity, and varying degrees of cardiac dysfunction, so it is important to recognize the signs and seek medical care should they arise.
Symptoms of Pneumonia
Does your elderly loved ones display any of these symptoms? Symptoms of pneumonia can include:
Migraines
Feeling queasy
Confusion
Fever
Coughing
Loss of appetite
Shallow or shortness of breath
Chest and muscle pain
Sweating
Chills
Bluish color in lips or fingernails
For our elderly family members, it is important to understand and identify those symptoms before they progress into something more serious, so be sure to get familiar with them.
What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is a type of respiratory infection where liquid or other fluids enter the lungs, so it can lead to pain and difficulties in breathing. Some risk factors that can lead to pneumonia are smoking, having recently undergone surgery, weakened immune system, having the flu/influenza, or a medical history of respiratory illness, so it can be very serious.
Classified according to how it is obtained, Pneumonia can be very serious, so it is important to get familiar with how it can be contracted. The two main ways to get it include the environment (fungi) or community-acquired (bacteria and viruses), which can occur in settings like long-term care institutions or nursing homes. Despite being the most common type of pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia is more dangerous, so it may require medical attention.
What you can do to prevent pneumonia
You can start taking steps at home by washing your hands, so this is the easiest way to reduce the likelihood of contracting pneumonia. Other measures can include:
Drinking water
Exercising
Resting well
Eating nutrient rich foods
No smoking
Getting your vaccines
Use of a humidifier
Pneumonia Symptoms Can Worsen
Additionally, if symptoms worsen over time, consult your healthcare provider so your loved one gets immediate care. Pneumonia has the potential to swiftly become a life-threatening illness for susceptible people, like our elderly loved ones, but can also affect those with inherited medical condition or impaired immune system. Depending on the type of pneumonia and severity of the symptoms, your healthcare provider may provide antibiotics, antiviral, fungal medications, or other treatments such as immunizations, so seeking medical attention is critical should you suspect Pneumonia.
Assisting Hands Home Care Can Help
The experience of living with pneumonia can be scary, and you may be unsure of what to do next, so it’s important to know that Assisting Hands Rockford is available to help. You can depend on our in-home care services to support your loved one’s health and wellness in many ways, such as accompanying with doctor appointments, reminding them to take prescriptions or medication, creating nutrient rich meals, and taking them out for walks.
Call us now at 815-884-CARE to schedule a free consultation so you can learn about our services. Our qualified team is prepared and committed to providing individualized services to people of all ages and in all circumstances, so contact us today and let us help your family.
Sources
BA;, Cunha. “Pneumonia in the Elderly.” Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2001, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11737082/.
Grief, Samuel N, and Julie K Loza. “Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Pneumonia.” Primary Care, Elsevier Inc., Sept. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7112285/.
“Pneumonia.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/pneumonia.
Featured–”Pneumonia Symptoms and Diagnosis.” American Lung Association, https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/symptoms-and-diagnosis.
Article–“Pneumonia – What Is Pneumonia?” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/pneumonia.
