What Is Pneumonia? 

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes the air sacs in one or both lungs to fill with fluid or pus, making breathing very difficult. Pneumonia causes more than a million hospitalizations and more than 50,000 deaths each year (American Lung Association, 2024)

Pneumonia poses a significant risk for older adults.

Stages of Pneumonia

 

  1. Onset (Congestion Stage): Pneumonia often begins with flu-like symptoms such as cough, mild fever, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. In older adults, symptoms might be subtle or atypical, like confusion or weakness.

  2. Progression (Red Hepatization): The infection worsens as the lungs fill with fluid and inflammatory cells, leading to chest pain, high fever, chills, and a productive cough. Oxygen levels may drop, causing shortness of breath and increased heart rate.

  3. Recovery or Complications (Gray Hepatization/Resolution): With treatment, symptoms start to improve, and lung function gradually returns. However, in older adults, there's a higher risk of complications like respiratory failure, sepsis, or lingering weakness, which may require extended recovery or hospitalization.

 

Prevalence in Central Texas 

As of 2025. Adults aged 65+ account for most pneumonia hospitalizations. The CDC reports over 250,000 hospitalizations and more than 40,000 deaths. In late 2024, San Antonio experienced a significant increase in cases of walking pneumonia, primarily affecting children. No specific San Antonio data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a rise in M. pneumoniae infections nationally, including a significant increase in children aged 2-4 and 5-17. 1,965. Pneumonia and Influenza deaths have been reported amongst the geriatric population making the mortality rate 31.55 in Texas during the 2024-2025 influenza. P&I deaths from September 29,2024 to March 29th, 2025. According to the CDC, people aged 65+ 4,584 96.4 mortality rate per 100,000 people. There's also a notable difference in prevalence and outcomes between genders. Men, especially those 65 years and older, tend to be more frequently affected by community-acquired pneumonia than women (who had 28% lower odds of being admitted compared to males). The severity of pneumonia also seems to increase in males, leading to higher rates of death in the geriatric community 

Our Mission

Our mission is to protect and empower older adults through comprehensive pneumonia prevention strategies that prioritize education, early detection, vaccination, and access to quality healthcare. We are committed to reducing the burden of pneumonia by promoting healthy aging, raising awareness about risk factors, and supporting caregivers and communities with the tools they need to safeguard the health and well-being of our aging population.

 

MEET OUR TEAM

Ashley Kamm,      SN

Co-founder

Vanessa Cintron, SN 

Co-founder

Faith Evans,         SN 

Co-founder

Theresa Moore,        SN

Co-founder

Adelshia Robinson, SN

Co-founder

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