Pneumonia in the elderly: a nursing home perspective.

The development of pneumonia is a life-threatening event in a nursing home resident. Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae are major identifiable bacterial pathogens. Some elderly patients with pneumonia can be effectively treated in the nursing home. The clinical impression of pneumonia merits radiologic confirmation. Cefuroxime, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cefaclor offer theoretic advantages in the treatment of bacterial pneumonia in elderly nursing home residents.