‘Air we breathe is biggest threat to my health’: How Delhi’s pollution is breaking the elderly

Gupta says his lung capacity has declined and he now hesitates before stepping outdoors. He has also developed diabetes in the past two years. “It is frightening to realise that the air we breathe, something so basic, has become the biggest threat to my health,” he said.

Sunil Gupta, 58, has lived with bronchitis and pneumonia for years, but over the past 18 months he says Delhi’s worsening air quality has sharply intensified his symptoms. Express

Health experts say older adults are among the most vulnerable as the capital struggles with severe pollution. Lung function naturally declines with age, and scientific studies show that exposure to polluted air causes greater harm in elderly populations. Research has found older adults to be particularly susceptible to particulate matter such as PM 10, while finer particles known as PM 2.5 have been shown to be even more damaging, penetrating deeper into the lungs. Studies in Europe have linked all particle sizes to increased respiratory illness, hospital admissions and cardio-respiratory deaths among people aged 65 and older.

For Chandrika Shrivastav, 64, the effects have been debilitating. After years of relative stability, her asthma returned over the past two years as pollution worsened, confining her indoors from November to February. Her family moved homes in 2000 after dust in South Delhi aggravated her asthma. The shift to Dwarka brought relief for more than two decades — until last year. “In the last two weeks, she has become almost bedridden,” said her son, Gaurav Shrivastav. “She is having frequent asthma attacks, and medicines are no longer working.”

A resident of Delhi for more than four decades, Shrivastav said she never imagined breathing would become such a struggle. Even short walks leave her wheezing, and nights are often interrupted by breathlessness. Despite keeping windows sealed and running an air purifier, she finds little relief. “At my age, this is frightening,” she said.

Chandrika Shrivastav’s asthma returned over the past two years as pollution worsened, confining her indoors from November to February. Renuka Puri

Doctors across the city say such cases are becoming more common.

Dr Rajesh Chawla, a senior consultant in pulmonology and critical care at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said the hospital has seen a clear rise in elderly patients in recent weeks. Many report persistent cough, chest tightness, wheezing and disturbed sleep, he said. Patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease frequently arrive with acute flare-ups requiring immediate care.

Polluted air also makes the airways more vulnerable to infection, Chawla said, with a noticeable increase in viral illnesses. Heart patients, he added, are reporting palpitations and severe fatigue as poor air quality strains the cardiovascular system and reduces oxygen supply.

Dr Neetu Jain, a senior consultant in pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine at PSRI Hospital, said this has been one of the toughest pollution seasons in years. Outpatient visits have risen by 30 to 40 per cent in recent weeks, driven by spikes in breathlessness, persistent cough, wheezing and uncontrolled asthma, she added.

“What is worrying is that this increase is not limited to people with existing lung disease. Even otherwise healthy individuals are coming in with new respiratory symptoms,” Jain said.