The problem of air pollution is increasing rapidly in the whole world including India. Like food and water, fresh air is a fundamental need of every person. Air pollution has become the third largest cause of death in India due to not breathing healthy air. The air we breathe is contaminated with harmful pollutants from factories, power plants, burning coal, wood and vehicles. Actually, indoor air is 5 times more polluted than outdoor. Poor air quality is harmful to all.The elderly are suffering from many serious diseases due to air pollution. Let us know how air pollution can be fatal for the health of the elderly.
# Effect of air pollution on the elderly: Due to increasing age, many body parts of the elderly work very slowly. Due to this, their lungs are not able to filter fresh air. This is why breathing in polluted air causes many respiratory problems to the elderly. Other effects of air pollution on the elderly are described below.
# Breathlessness:
The immune system of the elderly is much weaker than that of adults. Due to this, they catch diseases fast. Weak immune system has difficulty dealing with harmful pollutants present in the air. This causes the elderly to have severe asthma and trouble breathing.
# Eye trouble: The elderly have to face many eye problems. Eye problems increase due to air pollution. Dust particles present in the air cause the eyesight of the elderly to become dim, which makes them difficult to see. Itchy eyes, sore throat and skin rashes are a common problem in the elderly due to air pollution.
# Effect on heart:
Air pollution also affects the heart of the elderly. As the age progresses, the heart activity of the elderly begins to slow down. Breathing in polluted air slows blood flow which increases the risk of heart attack in the elderly.