Seniors Need to Know About The Risks of Pneumonia

Edmonton Senior Health  |  January 19, 2024

What Every Senior in Edmonton, AB, Needs to Know About the Risks of Pneumonia

What should you know about pneumonia risks in seniors? Heart disease and cancer often affect seniors as they age, but pneumonia also poses a serious and potentially life-threatening risk, especially for older adults with existing health conditions.

What is Pneumonia?

Viruses, bacteria, or fungi can cause pneumonia, a respiratory infection that sends over a million seniors to the hospital each year.

Do seniors face a higher risk of developing pneumonia compared to other age groups?

The immune system weakens as we age, and our natural defence against colds, flu, and infections becomes less reliable and which makes seniors more susceptible to germs.

A senior patient recovering from illness or surgery is more susceptible to becoming ill. Even a common cold can quickly lead to a lung infection, making it harder to rid the lungs of infectious elements. Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), HIV, heart disease, and other conditions can pose greater challenges for a quick recovery, too.

Pneumonia may commonly occur, but it is not an anticipated part of aging. We can reduce the risk of pneumonia by being proactive. Of course, there’s no guarantee, but adults can reduce their risk as much as possible. Here are some suggestions for maintaining better health this year.

Reduce the Risks of Pneumonia:

• Get vaccinated: Influenza can lead to pneumonia, so talk with your doctor about the flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
• Practice good hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly and often. Keep sanitizer available and as much as possible avoid touching surfaces like door handles and grocery cart handles.

• Stop smoking: Smokers are at a higher risk for pneumonia, as well as other illnesses, so stop!
• Build immunity through diet: Talk to your physician about a diet to help strengthen the immune system.

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services

Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness. 

Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta

Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a broader range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can provide 24-hour care and more!

Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our clients’ needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind: empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life. 

Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLS). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.

Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program offered by Alberta Health Services. 

What is the Client-Directed Home Care Invoicing Program (CDHCI)?

CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.

Accredited Home Care Edmonton

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton was awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. This honour demonstrates Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton, AB.

To learn more about senior in-home care in Edmonton, contact the Comfort Keepers® office. Our service territory includes Edmonton, Devon, Sherwood Park, Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office at 780-465-4665.

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