Pneumonia in the ElderlyPneumonia in the elderly is something that needs to be taken very seriously these days. According to the Center Of Disease Control, statistics indicate that more than 800 million people over the age of 65 are at risk of pneumonia. It is also said that one in 20 adults with pneumonia dies. What is pneumonia? “Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can be caused by fungi, viruses, bacteria and many other germs,” says Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. This infection causes inflammation of the lungs; more precisely, it is an inflammation of the alveoli which results in the presence of fluid in the alveolar sacs. The alveoli are where the transfer of oxygen to the blood takes place, so with inflammation it is difficult for the individual to breathe or engage in physical activity. This article will cover the signs and symptoms to look out for, how to go about diagnosing it, treatment and what to expect, preventative measures, the different types of causative agents, and if left untreated, the type of complications to expect pneumonia. you're talking about pneumonia in the elderly, it's not something we want to take lightly. The signs and symptoms experienced by older adults may be very different from those of a middle-aged person. The most common symptoms of pneumonia include feeling unwell or weak, coughing, green or yellow sputum, chest pain, confusion, fever, chills, and shortness of breath. The most common home diagnosis would be if a person feels like they have a cold or the flu. In older adults, these are some of the many reasons why it is so dangerous. The immune system of older people is much slower to respond to fight infection...... middle of paper ......o Pneumonia, it causes respiratory failure. The treatment for this would most likely be ventilator breathing for the patient with supplemental oxygen. (Boothby, LA (2004) Pneumonia is a very dangerous infection for older people. Any geriatric patient who may become ill should be very careful around the public and should wash their hands constantly. With signs and symptoms of pneumonia , it is very important to start treatment before infections become serious and the patient needs to be hospitalized. The sooner the better. In this informative essay, the following topics have been covered, such as. signs and symptoms monitor how to go about getting a diagnosis, treatment, preventive measures, the different types of causative agents and, if left untreated, the type of complications you may contract..