Food Poisoning Among the Elderly

 Posted on November 26, 2024 in Food Poisoning

Anyone can be made seriously ill by contaminated food. However, food poisoning poses special risks to the elderly. Older adults are more likely to be hospitalized or even pass away due to serious food poisoning. Younger adults are often healthier overall and better able to fight off a foodborne illness. An illness that might not be too dangerous for a young, healthy person to endure might pose far greater risks to someone who is elderly and already has health problems. If you are an older adult who contracted a foodborne illness, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Even if you do not know which food made you ill, your Illinois food poisoning attorney may be able to identify an outbreak you were affected by and the corporation responsible.

How Food Poisoning Affects the Elderly Differently

Older adults often have existing health problems. The older people get, the more health problems they tend to acquire. Things like diabetes, COPD, and heart problems are common. A few reasons why foodborne illnesses are more dangerous for older adults include: 

• Lowered immune system - Elderly people have weaker immune systems, making it harder for their bodies to fight off infection. An infection that might be annoying to a younger person can be disastrous for an older person whose immune system is not as strong. It is possible for a young person and an elderly person to eat the same food and for only the older person to become ill. 
• Reduced digestive speed - Older people’s digestive systems work more slowly than younger people’s. This means that contaminated food is likely to stay in an elderly person’s digestive tract much longer, giving the bacteria or virus more time to grow and spread. 
• Less stomach acid - Older adults tend to produce less stomach acid than younger people. Stomach acid can help to kill off harmful bacteria. This makes older adults more susceptible to foodborne illness. 
• Reduced liver and kidney function - The liver and kidney work to filter out harmful bacteria and toxins. In elderly people, liver and kidney function are often reduced. 
• Other underlying conditions - People who have preexisting conditions may be hit harder by food poisoning than others. Most elderly adults have at least one pre-existing condition that could be aggravated by food poisoning. For example, an older adult with diabetes may need to be hospitalized to stabilize his or her blood sugar if he or she is vomiting and cannot keep food down. 

These issues can lead to more serious complications in the elderly.

Contact an Illinois Foodborne Illnesses Lawyer 

Newland & Newland, LLP will fight for you to recover as much compensation as possible if you have experienced food poisoning. Our dedicated Illinois food poisoning attorneys focus our practice on foodborne illness outbreaks and are highly knowledgeable in this area. Contact us at 312-981-0409 for a free consultation.