Home > Blog > February 2017 > What Are the Best Ways to Help Your Elderly Loved One Avoid Pneumonia?

What Are the Best Ways to Help Your Elderly Loved One Avoid Pneumonia?

Posted: 2/24/2017 9:15 AM by Interim HealthCare

Pneumonia is a lung infection, either bacterial or viral in nature, which can make your elderly loved one extremely sick. Severe cases can even land your loved one in the hospital. Avoiding pneumonia is your loved one's best bet.

Practice Excellent Hygiene
Germs are the most common cause of pneumonia, so it only makes sense to limit the germs that can infect your elderly loved one. Absolutely the best way to manage this is to wash your hands regularly and to encourage your elderly loved one to do the same. As you do this more regularly, it's going to become a solid habit.

Keep up with Your Elderly Loved One's Dental Health
Just like the bacteria on her hands, the bacteria in her mouth can pose a problem in terms of pneumonia. Help your elderly loved one to keep her teeth and her mouth as healthy as possible. Also make sure that your loved one is keeping up with her dental appointments.

Cut Back on Smoking
Smoking damages your elderly loved one's lungs and leaves them even more vulnerable to the germs that can cause pneumonia. If you can convince her to cut back or to quit, this can help her to reduce her risk of pneumonia. Talk to your loved one's doctor for tips and tricks that can help her to quit smoking.

Improve Her Diet
If your elderly loved one has resisted changing her diet to healthier foods, such as adding more fruits and vegetables, then now is the time to try again. Having a healthier diet with fewer processed and junk foods can help your loved one's immune system keep up with all of the various attacks it faces on a daily basis.

Employ Recommendations from Her Doctor
Every elderly loved one's health is slightly different, so it's important to talk to your loved one's doctor. He can give you and your loved one specific recommendations that can improve her chances against pneumonia. Following even a few of those recommendations may be enough to help your loved one stay out of the hospital due to pneumonia.

Work with your loved one's elderly care providers, other family members, and medical team to create a plan that minimizes her risk of pneumonia as much as possible.

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