Senior citizens lungs undergo several changes simply because they are growing older. Everyone’s lung capacity decreases over time and it can make it more difficult to breathe and do everyday activities as you age. Fortunately, there are several techniques to help maintain lung capacity as best as possible.
Lung Changes with Aging and Pneumonia
As people grow older, their bodies and organs as well as their digestive system, circulatory system and their pulmonary system all undergo changes. Several factors can happen to decrease lung capacity and this can also lead to elderly patients having a much greater risk of contracting pneumonia, which can be deadly in some senior citizens.
What Items Change to Cause a Decrease in Lung Capacity?
Six different items can cause lung changes as you age. Some older people will have one change or they can actually have all six at the same time, making breathing and everyday tasks very difficult. Your airways can actually decrease in size so you are inhaling and exhaling a smaller volume of air with each breathes you take. Your air sacs may lose their shape so that they can hold less air in them. Your diaphragm can become weaker to prevent you from fully breathing both in and out, so you move less air with each breath. Your muscles near your airways may become weak with age so that they lose their ability to keep the airways all the way open and fill up with air. Some older people have rib cage problems or posture-related issues that will leave less room for the lungs to expand leading to a diminished capacity of air. The nerves in your airways that are used for coughing can become less sensitive and cause lungs to collect particles in them, leaving less space for air.
How to Prevent Age-Related Respiratory System Changes
Elderly adults have very different respiration rates due to their living situation and their health. The normal respiratory rate for elderly adults that live independently is 12 to 18 breaths per minute, but for those needing long-term care, it is 16 to 25 breaths per minute. The respiration rate is higher, but less air is actually moving in and out of the lungs as you age and take quicker and less deep breaths. A few items can help you to maintain your lung capacity as you age. The most important item is to quit smoking. Smoking narrows the lung passages, is the leading cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease while it also causes chronic inflammation. The second leading cause of lung cancer is pollution by radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless, invisible and tasteless gas that is produced by the decay of uranium. You should have your home checked for radon pollution to avoid this and don’t let other people smoke in your home or your car. You should protect yourself from infections by washing your hands often and getting your influenza shot each year. It’s also a good idea to avoid being around large groups of people during the cold and flu season. Exercising to strengthen your muscles can greatly help your lungs as you age. You should be mindful of your posture and perform belly breathing to make your diaphragm stronger. This is done by breathing in through your nose and getting as much air as possible in your lungs and then breathing it out through your mouth.
What Exactly is Pneumonia?
Everyone carries some bacteria in their noses and throats, however the elderly are quite often frail and they can’t clear secretions from their lungs as well as younger people. This leads to the secretions going down into the bronchial tubes and the area fills with mucus and pus to prevent the lungs from properly functioning. This means that the oxygen can’t reach the blood and the cells in their body and it can lead to sepsis (a bacterial infection in the bloodstream) and infection and fluid around the lungs too.
Why are Older People More Susceptible to Pneumonia?
Older people are frailer than younger people are and they have a decreased resistance to stressors in the environment as well as an increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes. Muscular weakness means that an elderly person can’t clear the lung secretions to avoid infections.
The elderly often have weakened immune systems to make it harder to fight off infections and steroids to treat other conditions can suppress the immune responses even more. Seniors often have other health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, which will put them at a much higher risk of contracting pneumonia. Lung diseases also contribute to this aspect of elderly health. Seniors who have surgery are more susceptible because their bodies are working hard to heal and pain medications after surgery can cause patients to take shorter and faster breathes.
Fortunately, the best home health care can greatly improve the lung capacity of the elderly with a spirometer so they will be less likely to have other lung complications from a decreased lung capacity. Caregivers can teach elderly patients and their families how to increase their volume of oxygen with each breathes to increase their overall well-being and avoid lung infections and pneumonia.
