If you have any elderly people in your life, you likely know that good health is a top priority for them. As people get older, their bodies become more fragile and it is extremely important to avoid anything that could lead to a serious illness. One health concern that is often overlooked when it comes to elderly people is their water quality. Today we’re going to talk about why elderly people should be extra concerned about their water quality and what they can do to ensure their water is pure!
Why is poor water quality a big health risk for elderly people?
Poor water quality is bad for anybody’s health, no matter how old they are. However, the elderly is one population of people that can experience some of the most serious effects from contaminants in drinking water. This is true for a number of different reasons.
For one, elderly people are at a much higher risk of suffering from chronic illnesses and weakened immune systems. This means that they are not only more likely to develop illnesses from contaminated tap water, but also that their bodies are less capable of fighting off the illnesses that they develop. For these reasons, water contaminants like viruses, pathogens and bacteria can be very dangerous for elderly people.
Another issue is that elderly people have decreased liver and kidney functions, which causes their bodies to process chemicals differently than younger people. This can have unexpected and sometimes dangerous health effects when elderly people are exposed to chemicals in tap water.
Finally, elderly people can encounter very serious health problems from things that are much less of an issue for younger people. Take diarrhea for example, which can be brought on by certain water contaminants. Diarrhea is generally not too serious of an issue for younger people (although it’s unpleasant), but for older people it can lead to very serious and even life-threatening health problems.
What water contaminants are elderly people especially susceptible to?
Some of the most problematic water contaminants for elderly people include:
- Viruses
- Chemicals
- Bacteria
- Lead
- Microbes
- Arsenic
- Zinc
What should elderly people do to improve their water quality?
Water quality can be (and often is) an issue in any home, even if the water comes from a public water supply. The best way to protect elderly people from water quality issues is to have a water treatment system installed in their homes. With a residential water treatment system, you can guarantee that elderly people will have access to pure water that is free from all of the problematic contaminants we listed above, in addition to many other contaminants.
Contact EPA Water if you or the elderly people in your life would like to have their water tested for free. We can tell you exactly what’s in your water and offer suggestions for which treatment system would work best for you.
If you have any questions about the effects water quality can have on the elderly, or if you’d like a water system serviced or installed in your home, contact EPA Water Consultants, your water softener and water filtration system dealer in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We service areas all over Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including towns like Quakertown, Allentown and Newtown, PA.
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