According to the Centers for Disease Control, pneumonia affects millions of people worldwide each year. Seniors aged 65 and older are more susceptible to pneumonia, and often are less able to fend it off due to weakening immune systems. In addition, many conditions compound the danger for senior adults to catch pneumonia—such as diabetes or COPD. All of these factors make it crucial for seniors to take steps to prevent pneumonia.
What Is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs, with symptoms of fever, chills, cough, chest pain, and trouble breathing. It can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Influenza often provides an entryway into the body for pneumonia, particularly in the elderly. For this reason, annual flu vaccines are very important for seniors.
Don’t Delay Treatment
Senior adults should not self-diagnose before seeking treatment.
If seniors are not feeling well—which may or may not include all or part of the symptoms most commonly read about–there is no reason to waste time trying to determine if they are suffering from the flu, pneumonia, or a cold. Pneumonia can move fast, and seniors may find themselves in a life-threatening situation in just a few hours.
How to Prevent Pneumonia
When it comes to pneumonia and the elderly, one of the top lines of defense is frequent hand washing, especially during flu season. Carrying hand gel in your car or purse, or antiseptic wipes in your pockets, is strongly suggested. They should be used before and after coming in contact with items other people have touched, like shopping cart handles or door handles in public places. If you attend events or social functions where shaking hands is a standard practice, use gel or wipes quickly after making contact with another person, and always sanitize your hands before you eat.
Another step in preventing pneumonia is receiving a vaccination. For people 65 and older, high-dose flu vaccines that provide added protection are now available. The CDC provides information on available pneumococcal vaccines and options for seniors.
Another preventive measure is to avoid smoking, or to quit if you are a smoker. Smoking damages lung tissue, which makes a person more susceptible to pneumonia.
Seniors should strive to maintain or improve their overall health. Exercise, eat nutritious food, stay hydrated, and get adequate rest to help prevent pneumonia and other illnesses.
Also, drink alcohol in moderation. People who consume too much alcohol are more likely to neglect their diet and be subject to malnutrition, which weakens their body’s defenses.
Stress and depression management are also important as mental and emotional health are factors in preventing illnesses, including pneumonia.
When families visit their senior loved ones, they should be sure that they are not ill. Sickness within the family can easily be transferred to a senior adult who is less able to successfully combat it. Communicating through phone calls, e-mails, and texts is better than exposing the senior to illness during an in-person visit.
Finally, if flu cases are on the rise in your community, seniors should limit their participation in public events where large numbers of people are gathered—church, theatres, community events, etc.
Who Is Most Susceptible?
Senior adults who have a chronic illness or have received treatments that have weakened their immune system should be extremely vigilant in protecting themselves from the flu and pneumonia.
This list would include people with:
- Diabetes
- Emphysema
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Other chronic illnesses
- People receiving dialysis
Also, cancer patients who have been treated with immunosuppressive therapy are particularly vulnerable.
Pneumonia and the Elderly: Having a Healthy Flu Season
Pneumonia can strike quickly and with deadly effects on the body. Practice steps to avoid it, don’t hesitate to seek medical help even if you are not sure you have contracted it, and practice good hygiene, healthy living, and limit your exposure.
Find more tips like this on Bethesda’s blog to stay healthy all year round!
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