Did you know that many senior citizens end up with a respiratory infection that can quickly turn into a severe illness? The main reason for this is that their immune system isn’t as strong as it was when they were younger. They now need to be more careful about who they come into contact with and what areas with big groups they go into. It would be helpful if you also knew more about the common respiratory infections that senior citizens come into contact with. 

Bacterial Pneumonia

One of the common respiratory infections that the elderly often face is bacterial pneumonia. There are many strains of bacteria that are found in this type of pneumonia. Some of the things that you and elder care providers can look for in your elderly loved one include:

• Signs of fluid accumulation in the lungs 
• Fever
• Chest pain 
• Confusion

If your elderly loved one has gotten this type of illness, their doctor will generally treat it with antibiotics, fever-reducing medication, and other medications that may be needed to manage symptoms. Sometimes, senior citizens who get bacterial pneumonia need to be hospitalized. 

Seasonal Influenza or the Flu

It is crucial to remember that seasonal influenza (the flu) can be life-threatening for the elderly. So, if you or someone else who visits with your elderly loved one have the flu, wait until you are all better and maybe even a couple more days after that before you go see them. If needed, you can have elder care providers watch or care for your elderly loved one until you are feeling better. Some signs that your elderly loved one might display if they get the flu are:

• Fever
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Digestive symptoms

Most of the time, the flu is treated with antiviral medications. These medications are the most effective when they are used in the beginning of the illness. Once your elderly loved one starts displaying symptoms, you should get them in to see their doctor. 

Common Cold

The common cold is another common respiratory infection that senior citizens often deal with. Again, if you are sick with a cold, it would be best to have home care providers care for your elderly loved one until you are all the way feeling better. 

The most common causes of a cold is HRV (human rhinoviruses) and HMPV (human metapneumovirus). There are also enteroviruses and adenoviruses. The type of virus that causes the flu will determine what types of symptoms someone has. However, the most common and most likely symptoms of a cold include:

• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Mucus 
• Runny nose

The way to tell the difference between a cold and the flu is that a flu is generally more severe with the symptoms. Your elderly loved one’s doctor may tell them to do careful watch-and-wait at home and manage the symptoms through over-the-counter medications. If things get worse, they may want you to bring your elderly loved one in. 

Conclusion

These are some of the types of respiratory infections that are common in the elderly. Now that you know about these illnesses and the symptoms of them, you and elder care providers can keep an eye out for the symptoms. 

If you or an aging loved one is considering Elder Care in Carrollwood, FL , please contact the caring staff at R.B. Home Health Services, Inc today. 305-220-6309

Sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15482146/