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Will Assisted Living Accept a Person Who Recently Had Pneumonia?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Facilities won’t accept individuals who had a contagious form of pneumonia if there’s still a risk of transmission to other residents and staff. Additionally, as assisted living communities don’t provide medical services, they may be unable to provide sufficient care for someone recovering from severe pneumonia or ongoing disease complications.
How assisted living may help people following pneumonia
Assisted living offers help with daily chores and personal care for seniors who can’t live independently. Admission conditions include a need for assistance with activities of daily living, such as dressing, showering and getting in and out of bed. If an individual requires such support either independently of their illness or due to recovery from an illness, they may find assisted living services valuable. Additionally, pneumonia often leaves individuals feeling tired and unable to complete tasks, and recovery can take a few weeks or more, depending on the severity of the disease.
Pneumonia often causes weight loss, which is especially dangerous for older individuals. In such cases, assisted living promotes health by providing daily nutritious meals. Assisted living communities provide medication management, and many facilities have nursing oversight. However, communities can’t accept seniors who need significant medical or rehabilitative support.
Other care options for people recovering from pneumonia
Nursing homes provide 24/7 monitoring and nursing care, which is more appropriate for an older adult recovering from pneumonia. They also commonly offer transitional care after hospitalization, preparing an individual to return home or to an assisted living community. Transitional care can include therapies to strengthen the lungs and physical therapy exercises to improve overall muscle strength.Aging decreases the immune system function, and older adults typically take longer to recover from illnesses. Moreover, pneumonia can be fatal in older adults. Therefore, seniors may choose to recover at home with visiting support because of the heightened risk of secondary infections in a communal setting. In this situation, home care aides assist with daily activities, while home health care professionals provide in-home medical and therapeutic care.