What Is COPD?

COPD is a chronic lung disease that makes it more difficult for people to breathe. People most often develop COPD from long-term exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke or air pollution. There may also be a hereditary component for some people. COPD involves two main lung illnesses: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. There is no cure for COPD at this stage, but early diagnosis and assistance in managing the condition can improve quality of life.

Spotting COPD Earlier

The best way to spot COPD earlier is to understand the symptoms that point to this condition. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Trouble breathing during activities
• Chronic cough
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Fatigue
• Wheezing or whistling while breathing

If seniors are experiencing even a few of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to talk with their doctors. Screening tests can help to narrow down what is going on so that seniors get appropriate treatment as soon as possible. Doctors ask questions about past medical history, and family history, and then run breathing tests to determine the cause of the symptoms.

COPD Challenges

Seniors living with COPD have a lot of difficulty breathing. But they can also experience reduced physical endurance, which makes daily tasks like cleaning or cooking more difficult. Seniors may also start to isolate themselves without realizing it because they find it more difficult to participate in social activities. They can also experience emotional impacts from the grief and loss of no longer being able to do some of the activities they enjoy doing.

How Senior Home Care Supports Seniors with COPD

Senior home care can be a huge help to people who live with COPD. First, they can help seniors continue to live in a safe and clean environment. Seniors may also need help with activities related to errands, grocery shopping, and meal preparation. This allows them to conserve energy for other activities. Remembering to eat healthy meals and get enough physical activity can also help seniors manage COPD effectively. Because COPD can also be emotionally taxing, it can help to have senior home care providers around who help with practical issues and also offer emotional support.

Aging in Place with Home Care Assistance

Staying in their own homes offers seniors a sense of familiarity and comfort that keeps them feeling secure. With the help of senior home care services, seniors can stay as independent as possible while also getting the specific help they need. Seniors are more likely to reduce hospital visits by having assistance at home to conserve energy and manage symptoms.

Navigating the challenges of COPD can be difficult for seniors. Senior home care providers give seniors the tools and support that they need to age in place for as long as possible.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Senior Home Care Services in Voorhees NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. at 1-800-493-5660.

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Lifespan

The most common criteria involved in qualifying for hospice care involves your senior’s expected lifespan. If her doctor certifies that she can expect six months or less to live, she can qualify for help through hospice. There may be other criteria as well that your senior should consider when thinking about hospice care.

Disabling Difficulty Breathing

People with COPD often have difficulty breathing. But as the disease progresses, your elderly family member is likely to have even more trouble breathing, even when she’s at rest. She may find that she is short of breath at all times, not just after she exerts herself. This can be a sign that she should consider hospice.

Multiple Hospital Stays for Pulmonary Issues

If your elderly family member is finding herself in the hospital frequently because of pneumonia or other respiratory issues, then hospice care is possibly a good choice for her. This type of care can help her to be more comfortable and can also reduce the likelihood that she’ll be readmitted to the hospital. Staying at home can help to reduce her anxiety, which can make a big difference for her.

Low Oxygen Levels in Blood

Another big consideration is the oxygen levels in your senior’s blood. This can be an indication that her COPD is becoming even more severe. Another metric to keep an eye on is the carbon dioxide level in your senior’s blood. If oxygen is low and carbon dioxide is high, that’s a sign that she’s having greater difficulty.

Right-sided Heart Failure

Normal heart operation involves the left side of the heart pumping oxygenated blood through the lungs and the body while the right side of the heart brings deoxygenated blood back to the lungs to pick up oxygen again. Right-sided heart failure means that the right side no longer does its job and deoxygenated blood backs up into the rest of the body. That makes it more difficult for the heart to move oxygen through the body at all.

Your Senior Declines Breathing Assistance

Finally, if your elderly family member has declined breathing tubes and other types of breathing assistance, it may be time for hospice elder care. This type of treatment can feel too invasive to your senior as she’s dealing with the challenges of COPD. Hospice care can help her to be as comfortable as possible in the time that she has left.

A common misconception is that your elderly family member can only access hospice services for six months, but that isn’t the case. If she does have longer, her doctor can recertify her so that she can continue to receive hospice care.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Hospice Care Services in Evesham Township NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. at 1-800-493-5660

The post What Are the Hospice Care Criteria for Patients with COPD? appeared first on Attentive Care, Inc..