As fall rolls around and temperatures stop to drop, it often causes an uptick in the number of illnesses that are spread around the community. As the caregiver of an elderly parent, it’ll be a season to watch your parent closely to ensure he doesn’t develop any serious conditions such as the flu, Covid-19, pneumonia, or bronchitis.
Bronchitis often follows a cold or other respiratory infection. It is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, causing the person who has it to cough up thickened mucus that is often discolored. Acute bronchitis usually clears up on its own, but the cough can last for weeks. Chronic bronchitis, which is often caused by smoking, is a continual irritation to the interior lining of the bronchial tubes.
The symptoms for both are similar, and the easiest way to tell them apart is whether or not your parent is a smoker. Acute bronchitis will clear up on its own (but watch it closely because seniors may develop pneumonia from it), but chronic bronchitis will need to be treated so it doesn’t lead to other complications such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The common symptoms of bronchitis are:
Elder Care Manhasset, NY: Bronchitis Symptoms
- A cough that lasts more than three weeks. A common cold will usually clear up in 10-14 days so if it’s lingering beyond that point, it might be developing into bronchitis.
- A cough that keeps your parent up at night. A serious cough will be worse at night when your parent tries to lie down to sleep.
- A fever that accompanies the cough. If you or your elder care provider take a temperature of your parent that exceeds 100.4 F, it is often a symptom of bronchitis.
- A cough that produces a lot of thick mucus and perhaps even blood. The mucus may be white, yellowish-gray, or green in color or might be tinged with blood.
- Fatigue. Your parent’s body is working hard to breathe. Add that to an inability to sleep at night, and he might feel especially fatigued.
- Chest discomfort. It might feel like an elephant is sitting on his chest and taking in a deep breath may be painful. Excessive coughing can also produce pain as muscles are strained from the coughing.
Having an elder care provider who helps take care of your parent at home can be helpful by watching over your parent to make sure his bad cough doesn’t develop into something more serious. Elder care providers can also ensure your parent takes any needed medicine to help him improve his health and fight off the inflammation. An elder care provider can either administer the medication for your parent or simply serve as a person to remind your parent to take his medicine so he completes the prescribed course.
This fall, help your parent stay healthy by staying on top of any health issues that may arise so he can get the diagnosis he needs right away to find the best path toward getting better.