Caring for Someone with COPD

COPD Caregivers Matter COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a progressive disease of the lungs that causes inflammation in the airways and difficulty breathing. There’s no cure for COPD, but the disease and symptoms can be managed effectively. Caregivers make a huge difference. They: Help with medication Encourage healthy activities Notice warning signs of declining health Struggling to breathe Increased fatigue Disease worsening Make it easier to get needed care Managing Medications Is Critical For people with COPD, there can be a lot of medications to juggle. Each may have different schedules and ways you take them. You can help by: Keeping track of medicine schedules Managing doses Helping with inhaler techniques and inhalations Giving injections (after being trained) Encouraging Rehab Pulmonary rehab is one of the best ways to improve breathing, endurance and quality of life. But patients may get discouraged, forget or not have transportation. Caregivers can encourage rehab by: Arranging or providing rides Setting up telerehabilitation Doing rehab exercises at home with their loved ones Protecting through Prevention For someone with COPD, a respiratory infection is a...