People are exposed to lead through the environment. Lead can be present in all sorts of places, like the paint or dust in older homes. Lead can even be present in water, soil, and air. When a person breathes in or ingests lead from the environment, it can have serious consequences. While young children are the most susceptible to lead poisoning, people of any age, including older adults, can get lead poisoning.
Where is Lead Found?
There are many places that your aging family member could come into contact with lead. Lead is a substance that is found in the crust of the earth, but it has become more prevalent in the environment through industry and other human activities. In the past, lead was a component of paint and was even found in gasoline. Today, lead is still used to make batteries, pipes, pottery, solder, cosmetics, and some roofing materials.
People who live in homes that were built before 1978, when lead stopped being used in paint, are at a higher risk for exposure to lead. Homes that were built before 1950 pose an even higher risk since paint with lead was more commonly used before 1950. Also, people whose homes have pipes that were soldered using lead are exposed to lead through the water they drink. The location of a home can also increase a person’s risk since living in a community that has a great deal of industrial pollution may expose them to lead.
What Can Happen When an Older Adult Gets Lead Poisoning?
Lead poisoning can harm organs and tissues in any area of the body. How badly the body is affected depends on how much lead they have been exposed to. Some possible consequences of lead poisoning are:
- Seizures.
- Hearing loss.
- Poor concentration.
- Nausea.
- Constipation.
- Anemia.
- High blood pressure.
Can Lead Poisoning Be Treated?
Lead poisoning can be treated. The first step is to remove the source of the lead. Ridding a home of lead usually requires professional assistance. Treating lead poisoning also requires eating a diet that is high in iron and other minerals that can help the body to rid itself of lead. People who eat a healthy diet are also less susceptible to the absorption of lead. In some cases, treating lead poisoning may require taking medications, called chelation medicines, that bond to lead in the body and help the body to remove it.
For seniors who have been diagnosed with lead poisoning, a senior care provider can help them through the treatment process. Senior care providers can remind the person to take the prescribed chelation medicines. They can also prepare balanced meals that include the foods recommended by medical professionals to remove lead from the body. A senior care provider can also drive older adults to follow-up appointments.
Sources
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/symptoms-causes/dxc-20275054
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2584/
http://www.webmd.com/children/tc/lead-poisoning-topic-overview#1
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/home/ovc-20275050
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Senior Care in Gulfport, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
