Home Care Services: When caring for an elderly loved one, there are certain health issues that you should be cautious about.
One of these issues is respiratory conditions. Respiratory conditions can lead to breathing issues. In some cases, the condition can be life-threatening. Learning more about the common causes of respiratory problems in the elderly can help you to know what to look for in your elderly loved one. Your Home Care Services provider can be a great help at this time.
Pneumonia
One of the common causes of respiratory problems in the elderly is pneumonia. This is a type of lung disease. The cause of pneumonia is an infection in the lungs. The air sacs are invaded by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Sometimes, an elderly person will get the flu. If the flu is more severe, it can lead to pneumonia. To help prevent pneumonia, you may want to check with your elderly loved one’s doctor to see if they recommend the flu shot. If you suspect your elderly loved one has pneumonia, make sure to get them to see a doctor right away.
Lung Cancer
Another cause of respiratory issues in the elderly is lung cancer. Unfortunately, there are a lot of elderly people who get this type of cancer. If your elderly loved one was or is a smoker or if they have been around a lot of people who smoke, they have a higher risk of getting lung cancer. If your elderly loved one has a family history of lung cancer, they also have a higher risk of getting it. If your elderly loved one has been diagnosed with this type of cancer, it might be a good idea to get them companion care at home services. Dealing with cancer of any type is tough. Having companions at home might help your elderly loved one to better deal with the diagnosis.
COPD
Your elderly loved one might get COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well. This is a term that includes a lot of diseases. The diseases cause breathing-related issues including airflow blockage. The 2 most common COPD diagnoses are bronchitis and emphysema. The severity of each of these conditions can vary greatly from one person to the next. If you suspect your elderly loved one has this condition, have them see their doctor.
Conclusion
There are so many different types of respiratory conditions that elderly people can develop. If your elderly loved one is having trouble breathing or experiencing other issues with their respiratory system, make sure they see a doctor. They could have one of these conditions or another respiratory disease. If your elderly loved one’s condition is severe, they may need help daily and need help coping, as well. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to get home care services for them.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in San Jose, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
Sources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
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