Pneumonia: What Is Aspiration Pneumonia and Why Is it Dangerous for Your Senior?
Pneumonia of all types can be dangerous for your aging family member.
It’s especially problematic if your senior has other health issues that are challenging for her to manage. One type of pneumonia, called aspiration pneumonia, can happen at any time.
Senior Health: Aspiration Pneumonia
Aspiration Pneumonia Defined
Pneumonia is an illness caused by an infection in the lungs. It’s usually caused by bacteria, viruses, or even fungi. Aspiration pneumonia is a specific type that occurs when your senior breathes beverages, food, or even saliva into her lungs instead of those substances moving down her esophagus. Symptoms of this type are very similar to other types of pneumonia, including coughing, chest pain, fatigue, and even fever. Your senior might also be short of breath and just feel lousy.
Causes of Aspiration Pneumonia
The simplest answer about what causes aspiration pneumonia is that your senior breathes something into her lungs, but there’s more to it than that. Your senior may be more vulnerable to it if she has trouble swallowing or if she’s taking medications that leave her too relaxed. There may be other factors that contribute, too, such as a weakened immune system and your senior’s overall health.
Complications of Aspiration Pneumonia
The biggest reason to avoid it, beyond the fact that your senior doesn’t need that kind of stress in her lungs, is that there are big complications that can arise from this type of infection. It’s all too easy for it to spread to other parts of your senior’s body and she may even develop lung abscesses. In severe cases, respiratory failure is even possible.
Treatment
If you suspect your senior has any form of this type of infection, it’s important to talk to her doctor right away. That’s also important if your senior does choke on something, even if she’s able to cough most or all of it up. Preventative antibiotics might be something her doctor opts to try just in case. In rare cases, your senior might need hospitalization. It might be a good idea for your senior to have 24-hour home care, especially if she’s at risk of another round of aspiration pneumonia.
Having a caregiver available can ensure that your senior has assistance when she needs it. Besides being able to make sure that your senior is safe and has what she needs at any given time, 24-hour home care providers are also available to stay on the lookout for signs that something isn’t quite right.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Media, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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