Hi Lyn - I do realise it might not be the easiest but presumably he coughs to clear his chest? If he could cough and spit into a tissue - not ideal but it would provide a sample. It really needs to be from his chest rather than his saliva. If he has a chest infection - are they doing anything to encourage coughing? Steam or any medication? I guess if a care home he doesn't get any physio?
As I said, I know it may not be easy but it does seem to me worth a try in the hopes of identifying the bug and then giving the right antibiotic. Mostly they tend to give broad spectrum antibiotics but that isn't always the answer.
Having steam near Pete to loosen the secretions might help him generally as well as help get a specimen.
I did do a google and found an interesting comment :
Dementia. The lack of ability to concentrate while swallowing contributes to an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. Elderly patients with dementia who are treated with antipsychotic drugs for psychosis have a 60% increased risk of developing pneumonia. Researchers are not sure why these drugs increase the pneumonia risk.
Source: Pneumonia | University of Maryland Medical Center
http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/pneumonia#ixzz2uN5qMqja
University of Maryland Medical Center