National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month: Elderly-Onset Sarcoidosis

By Marlene Diaz | April 21, 2017 |

Has your elderly loved one recently been diagnosed with elderly-onset sarcoidosis? It’s alright to feel overwhelmed at this strange-sounding pronouncement. However, as you and your loved one learn all you can about sarcoidosis, you’ll both have a better idea of treatments and can raise awareness with others. Because April is National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month, it’s a time to learn more about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

Homecare Gig Harbor WA – National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month: Elderly-Onset Sarcoidosis

What is Sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease, can focus on several different organs in the body. Usually the condition concentrates around the lungs and the lymph nodes. The disease causes nodules, or inflamed tissue, to form. It is most often present in people who are between 20 and 40 years old, but around 30% of all cases occur in people who are 65 years or older. This is known as elderly-onset sarcoidosis.

The disease is more likely to strike women over men. It is also found in higher numbers in those of African-American, Scandinavian, German and Puerto Rican heritage. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown to modern medicine at this time and there is no cure. It can go away on its own, or remain a chronic condition yet it is rarely fatal.

Symptoms of Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis symptoms are difficult to pinpoint because they are the same for many other diseases, especially in seniors. Typical symptoms include a dry cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, red eyes and blurry vision. Other symptoms can include tender lymph glands at the neck, groin and armpits, as well as pain in the joints. Raised rashes on the neck, face and hands are also common. Symptoms range from mild to severe. Some patients don’t even realize they have it and for others it can even be fatal, but this is rare.

Senior patients are more likely to experience the skin conditions and fatigue associated with sarcoidosis. Those with elderly-onset sarcoidosis are less likely to be diagnosed with the condition because they suffer from other diseases that may interfere with a proper diagnosis.

Diagnosing Sarcoidosis

Diagnosing sarcoidosis is difficult because the symptoms are so vague. However, doctors can perform a careful examination and eliminate other conditions as they close in on a diagnosis for their elderly patients. Chest x-rays can reveal the nodules on or near the lungs, and breathing tests can determine whether the nodules are interfering with the organ. Other diagnostic tools include high resolution CT scans of the chest and lymph nodes, and bronchoscopies to check out the inside of the lungs.

Because there is no cure for sarcoidosis, medical experts will only be able to treat the symptoms. The doctor will outline a treatment regimen as part of an overall elder care plan. Sarcoidosis treatments range from simple non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine for mild cases to corticosteroids, antimetabolites and immune-suppressants in more severe cases. Doctors also recommend a healthy diet, plenty of sleep, maintaining proper weight and to quit smoking to help alleviate the symptoms.

The good news is that the majority of cases of sarcoidosis go into remission after 12 to 36 months with no recurrence. In other cases, the disease returns spontaneously. In the most serious cases sarcoidosis can trigger pulmonary fibrosis, which can be fatal.

Once you learn all you can about sarcoidosis, you’ll be able to instruct other family members and homecare aides on what they need to do to continue the doctor’s elder care plan. You can also instruct their homecare aide to be on the lookout for a change in the symptoms of elderly-onset sarcoidosis. The more awareness everyone has about the disease, the more likely they will be able to recognize the symptoms of sarcoidosis and get treatment for seniors sooner rather than later.

Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40266-013-0125-5
http://www.webmd.com/lung/arthritis-sarcoidosis#3

If you or an aging loved one are considering Homecare Services in Gig Harbor WA, contact the caring staff at Hospitality Home Care today. Call us at (206) 966-6552.

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Marlene Diaz

Care Supervisor at Hospitality Home Care

Marlene brings to Hospitality Home Care's Care Supervisor Team an unprecedented level of passion for caring for others and a wealth of knowledge and understanding in the care services field. Marlene has worked in the healthcare field for more than 15 years in a variety of settings including, adult family home administration, home care HR supervising and working with specialty populations including dementia, mental health and developmental disabilities. Throughout this time Marlene has also maintained her caregiver credentials that she obtained as a teenager because, while her knowledge is best served helping to train caregivers and assist families to get the care they need, her heart is most fulfilled when she is providing care to others. When she is not in the office, you will most likely find Marlene caring for her family, or spending time with her friends.