Older Adults and Air Quality

As people age, their bodies are less able to compensate for the effects of environmental hazards. Air pollution can aggravate heart disease and stroke, lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, and diabetes. This leads to increased medication use, more visits to health care providers, admissions to emergency rooms and hospitals, and even death.

Ozone and Particulate Matter (PM) (especially smaller, fine particle pollution called PM 2.5) have the greatest potential to affect the health of older adults. Fine particle pollution has been linked to premature death, cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks, asthma attacks, and the development of chronic bronchitis. Ozone, even at low levels, can exacerbate respiratory diseases.

The EPA Aging Initiative has developed fact sheets that are intended to inform older adults and their caregivers about environmental health risks and take steps to reduce those risks.

Fact Sheets

• Age Healthier, Breathe Easier
• "It's Too Darn Hot" - Planning for Excessive Heat Events
     Information for Older Adults and Family Caregivers. More...
• Environmental Hazards Weigh Heavy on the Heart

Aging Posters

• Beat the Heat - 8 Simple Steps for Older Adults (310KB, 1 p., PDF, about PDF)
• Age Healthier Breathe Easier poster printable (4.4MB, 1 pp., PDF, about PDF)

More Information