The importance of respiratory health in the elderly is great, especially considering the reduced capacity of the respiratory system slightly as the years go by. There is much more to consider in respiratory disease and the need for elderly care as your loved one may face issues like COPD, lung cancer, or much more. Even if they have simply faced asthma since youth, the potential for respiratory disease to come on easily makes the need for elderly care increase. If your loved one is unable to bring in the proper oxygen levels there are other vascular troubles that may result.
Most Common Respiratory Diseases
While there are so many respiratory diseases to be faced over the years, there is much to be addressed in your senior’s life, especially with the potential danger on their life. If your senior faces any of the following respiratory diseases, there is a definite value to having elderly care to return health to their daily life:
- Pneumonia
- Chronic obstructive airways disease
- Asthma
- Lung cancer
- Pulmonary embolism
Pneumonia is definitely common in the elderly, and something that an elderly care can help manage for your loved one right there at home. It is hard to help when your loved one may be a current or past smoker, and that is often one of the most common causes that leads to senior respiratory issues. Therefore, if you have the ability to move your senior loved ones to quit smoking if they have not done so yet, it is very important.
Some of these issues are not easily diagnosed and are definitely not diagnosed early. This is something that needs to be managed well if you know that there are other respiratory health issues that run in your family. These things can be watched by elderly care, while you keep close communication with caregivers who are able to watch out for your loved one.
Benefits of Elderly Care for Seniors Facing Respiratory Disease
Especially when your loved one faces respiratory disease, there are benefits to having elderly care on their sides. Respiratory disease leads to the risk of other health issues and illnesses, and with the need for treatment, your loved one’s elderly care is able to help with doctor visits and other needs.
Not only do those with respiratory diseases suffer from difficulties breathing, but they can suffer from lower levels of oxygen in the body. These lower levels can affect energy, strength, and lead to dizziness and/or lightheadedness. These symptoms can lead to fainting and falling if low oxygen levels are not corrected.
With all of this, seniors can face a high risk of losing balance and then falling or fainting compared to those who are healthy. With these many respiratory diseases (COPD, chronic bronchitis, etc.) are often diagnosed during the elder years, raising the dangerous risk of these falls and overall safety for your loved one at an older age, losing balance, falling, or fainting can be extremely dangerous. Therefore, your seniors need to understand their risk, especially if they have already been diagnosed with respiratory disease, and do what they can to prevent and prepare for a fall.
Respiratory diseases also reduce oxygen levels in the body which affects bone strength over time. Weaker bones are at additional risk, along with the brain and other major organs also receive less oxygen. With low levels of oxygen in the brain, it can cause impairment, which can lead to a fall. If you notice frequent dizziness or lightheadedness, speak with your doctor about supplemental oxygen. Respiratory diseases can also affect muscle strength, leading to weaker muscles in the arms and legs.
No matter what, there is a possibility that respiratory disease, even if it may not be chronic, can reduce the level of oxygen that makes it to anyone’s organs, vessels, bones, muscles, and all parts of their body. Your senior may already be facing health challenges, and respiratory disease can definitely benefit from elderly care working on their side for increased health and safety at home.
Sources
https://www.ers-education.org/publications/ers-monograph/archive/respiratory-diseases-in-the-elderly.aspx
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-25787-7_2
https://www.caringseniorservice.com/blog/home-care-respiratory-diseases
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3815613/
If you or an aging loved one is considering elderly care in Park City, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
