Pneumonia inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may fill with pus or fluid. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including fever, cough, chills, difficulty breathing, and many others. Pneumonia may be mild for certain populations, but it can be deadly for adults older than 65. Seniors are at a greater risk of contracting pneumonia due to other underlying health issues that come with age.
What are the symptoms of pneumonia in the elderly?Typical pneumonia symptoms, such as a phlegm-filled cough, chills, and high fever, sometimes do not appear in adults older than 65. This makes identifying pneumonia symptoms in elderly individuals difficult. However, there are other early signs of pneumonia in elderly adults to be aware of, including:
What are the risk factors that may cause pneumonia in seniors?In addition to the serious pneumonia symptoms in the elderly outlined above, there are numerous risk factors that older adults need to keep in mind. These factors include:
How do you treat pneumonia in older adults?No pneumonia prevention technique is 100% effective. When an older adult contracts pneumonia, it is important to receive the proper treatment. Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation on Infectious Disease, noted the best way to identify and treat pneumonia and the elderly symptoms. “Milder cases of pneumonia can be cared for at home, but more severe cases, especially in patients with other underlying health conditions, may require hospitalization.” Contact your doctor if you suspect you may be dealing with pneumonia. Your doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia or antiviral medications for viral pneumonia. Here are a few additional ways your doctor may recommend treating mild cases of pneumonia:
from https://www.griswoldhomecare.com/blog/pneumonia-symptoms-in-elderly-adults/
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