Most people think about pneumonia as just one illness, but it’s really a lung infection that could be caused by a variety of different germs ranging from bacteria to viruses and even fungi. It’s complicated, and it can be a big deal for your senior.
Know the Signs of Pneumonia
Pneumonia has a few symptoms that let you know that’s what your senior is facing. Fatigue and a fever are common, as is chest tightness or pain. Your elderly family member might have a cough, but a surprising number of people have pneumonia without having a cough. The key is to recognize that something is not quite right before the condition worsens.
Don’t Let it Get Worse
People with severe cases of pneumonia can develop significant fevers with chills. Breathing difficulties are also more common, and your elderly family member may experience coughing that produces a lot of mucus. If it isn’t treated, pneumonia can become extremely dangerous for your senior.
Prevention Is Best
As with most serious health issues, prevention is the best bet. Pneumonia vaccines help to protect your senior against most of the bacteria that could lead to pneumonia. Excellent hygiene also helps. Hand washing and avoiding crowded areas can greatly reduce the risk your senior will develop pneumonia.
Talk to Your Senior’s Doctor
There might be more that your senior can or should do in order to prevent pneumonia. It is really important that she talks to her doctor about what those steps should be. Eating a healthy diet and getting enough movement and sleep each day can be incredibly helpful in keeping her immune system as functional as possible.
Recovery Can Take a Long Time
The sad fact is that recovering from pneumonia can take a long time for even a healthy person. Senior care at home can make a big difference in your elderly family member’s recovery, especially if she’s finding personal care tasks to be more difficult. Having help from elder care providers makes all sorts of daily tasks easier, including light household chores. Senior care at home can also be instrumental in making sure that your senior is eating healthy meals regularly to improve her strength and to heal.
The sooner you and your senior react when you suspect that she’s dealing with pneumonia, the better. Call her doctor right away if you think that your elderly family member might be developing pneumonia.