Urinary Tract Infections In the Elderly

A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is an infection in the urinary tract. So basically, a UTI occurs when bacteria in the bladder or kidney multiplies in the urine. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra. These are the organs that urine passes through before being eliminated from the body

The elderly are most susceptible to UTIs for several reasons:

• The elderly seem to have a weakened immune system that comes with age and certain infections.
• With age, the elderly experience weakening of the muscles, which include the bladder muscles. The bladder, therefore, isn’t completely emptied which can lead to incontinence and then a UTI.

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Symptoms of UTIs vary between the elderly and younger sufferers. Below is a list of symptoms for the younger sufferer:

• Blood in the urine
• Urine that is cloudy
• Urgent or frequent need to urinate
• Pain or burning when urinating
• Foul smelling or strong smelling urine
• Pain or pressure in the pelvis area
• Low-grade fever
• Chills, shaking or night sweats

UTIs in the elderly can and have been mistaken as dementia or Alzheimer's. Don’t automatically assume it is dementia, especially if it comes on suddenly. Here are some of the symptoms found in the elderly:

• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Forgetfulness
• Agitation
• Very poor motor skills (unable to perform simple tasks)
• Dizziness
• Falling
• Other behavioral changes

Surprisingly, most elderly sufferers do not show signs of fever, nor do they complain of pain that is associated with a urinary tract infection. This could be due to the fact that most times their immune system is weakened due to age.

The elderly are most likely to be affected with UTIs. And UTIs in the elderly can be quite serious. If you even suspect you or a loved one has a UTI, please seek medical assistance right away.

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