Seniors with Pneumonia: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

Vancouver Senior Home Care  |  January 27, 2020

What Every Senior in Vancouver, BC, Needs to Know About Pneumonia for the Cold and Flu Season

What we need to know about Seniors with Pneumonia. With age immune system tends to weaken, which is why seniors are more prone to various infections. Unfortunately, one of them is pneumonia. It infects one or both lungs and it can be mild as well as severe. In some cases, it can even be fatal. This infection is mostly caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that enter the lungs and trigger inflammation.

Seniors with Pneumonia: How Age Affects the Chances of Infection

#1. Changes to the lungs as we age.

Older adults are often not able to clear secretions from their lungs. These discharges go sown into bronchial tubes and lead to an infection.

#2. Weakened immune systems.

Seniors often have weakened immune systems, which is especially the case with individuals who have gone through chemotherapy, had organ transplants or have been taking certain medications for a long period.

#3. Senior health conditions.

Older adults who have conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, HIV, cystic fibrosis, asthma, and COPD are more prone to infections.

Signs of Pneumonia in Seniors

Seniors who have been infected show symptoms such as coughing, fever, chills, shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue.

Seniors with Pneumonia: Treatments

To determine whether a patient has pneumonia, doctors will do a blood test and a chest X-ray. If a senior is diagnosed with pneumonia, apart from medications, health providers can give them fluids, oxygen, and painkillers.

Seniors with Pneumonia: Reducing the Risk

There are several ways seniors can reduce their risk of pneumonia. Older adults who are interested in pneumonia prevention should talk to their doctor and determine the best plan.

Get vaccinated. Every senior should get an annual flu shot as well as a one-time pneumonia vaccine that keeps them protected from the pneumonia bacteria.

Take steps to quit smoking. Smokers have lungs with weaker defense mechanisms and therefore are at greater risk of pneumonia.

Practice a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise and healthy nutrition can boost one’s immune system and lower the risk of pneumonia.

The Best Senior Home Care Provider in Vancouver, BC, is Comfort Keepers®

Many families prefer Comfort Keepers® when arranging senior home care services for a loved one in or around Vancouver, British Columbia. 

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can help with 24-hour care. Comfort Keepers Vancouver also provides home care services like respite care, overnight care, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care, personal care, and more! 

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver Can Help with Companion Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Personal and empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our clients’ needs. Comfort Keeper’s philosophy is to elevate the human spirit, and our caregivers ensure your loved one experiences a better quality of life.

Trained caregivers help provide our senior clients with personal home care to help maintain the highest possible quality of life, keeping them happy and healthy at home. Our Interactive Caregiving™ delivers a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Bring The Best Home Care Assistance for Seniors Right Where You Live with Comfort Keepers®

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver is proud to provide elder care in homes throughout Vancouver, keeping seniors safe in their homes. We provide home care for the seniors of Vancouver and the surrounding areas of Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Richmond. Please call (604) 689-8609. 

Personal Care and Senior Homecare in Vancouver, BC

Learn more about our unique service, which offers personal care, companionship care, palliative care, and end-of-life care by contacting the Comfort Keepers® Vancouver office.

Accredited and Quality Respite Care Available 24/7 for British Columbia Families

Accreditation Canada has awarded Comfort Keepers® Vancouver with Exemplary Standing. This designation is only achieved after an organization’s policies, procedures, and processes undergo a thorough evaluation by industry experts to ensure they meet or exceed the stringent quality standards set by Accreditation Canada for Home Care companies.

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