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Watching someone struggle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, can be a heart-wrenching journey. According to the American Lung Association, almost 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, and there are likely many more who are undiagnosed.1
COPD is actually a group of diseases, such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. All forms of COPD cause blockage of the airflow and other problems related to breathing. Women are much more vulnerable to COPD than men are and it’s more common in the elderly than it is in younger people.
Unfortunately, many elderly individuals believe that the shortness of breath that is so common in the early stages of COPD is just a sign of getting older. Therefore, many don’t talk to their doctors about it until the disease has already progressed to a point where treatments might not work as well.
As COPD gradually gets worse, seniors might experience other problems as well. These can be related to COPD or can be exacerbated by the breathing issues. For instance, someone with COPD often develops cardiac problems, liver problems, or a struggle with repeated pneumonia.
The potential for so many additional problems goes hand-in-hand with COPD and requires a plan to get help if necessary. For instance, trouble with breathing might make cardiac issues worse. This is when it’s imperative to have a personal alarm button to use in the event of a medical emergency.
As a caregiver, you can help by understanding what type of COPD your loved one has, the signs and symptoms to watch for, and what the progression of the disease looks like.
Signs and Symptoms of COPD
As soon as your loved one is diagnosed with COPD, get the facts from their doctor about the type of COPD they have. Though there will be some overlap in the treatment protocol no matter the type, there could be slightly different symptoms and thus, different ways to make your loved one more comfortable.
The most common symptom of COPD is shortness of breath. While feeling short of breath during exercise or other physical activity could be normal, with COPD that difficulty in breathing takes on a different quality. Someone with COPD might experience shortness of breath even when they are at rest, and taking a deep breath doesn’t feel like it pulls any more oxygen into the lungs.
Other symptoms can include:
· A cough that won’t go away
· Coughing up mucus
· Tightness in the chest
· Wheezing
· An increase in the number of colds and respiratory infections
As COPD advances, it can lead to fatigue, weight loss, and an increase in severity of the more common symptoms.
When someone is diagnosed with COPD, they might be prescribed oxygen treatments. Caregivers can help by making sure their loved one uses oxygen when needed and as directed. You can also help them with home remedies, such as using steam to help ease their cough or comfort care measures when they develop a cold.
Smoking is one of the biggest drivers of developing COPD. Once someone has COPD, continuing to smoke can make the situation much worse. Encourage them to stop smoking and enroll them in a smoking cessation program. Keep in mind that while smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipe tobacco can often be a culprit in COPD, vaping might also cause issues. Encourage your loved one to stop all of these things.
How to Handle COPD Flare-Ups
COPD flare-ups are a sign that the disease is progressing. Exacerbations can come on quickly and become quite severe. This might mean your loved one needs antibiotics, steroids, or even a hospital stay.
If you notice these symptoms occurring, pay close attention. It’s time to get help if:
· Shortness of breath or wheezing becomes worse
· Fatigue becomes worse and lasts for more than a day or so
· They have difficulty sleeping
· Their ankles and legs begin to swell
· The color, amount, or thickness of their mucus changes
· They feel the need for more oxygen
Though some COPD exacerbations can’t be avoided – they are part of the natural progression of the disease – there are some things caregivers can do to potentially avoid problems:
· Get in touch with the doctor. Do this right away, if symptoms are clearly worsening. The doctor can prescribe medications that make it easier to breathe and fight the underlying problems that are making COPD worse.
· Encourage rest. Someone with COPD might be frustrated at their limitations, especially during a flare-up. Remind them of how important it is to go easy on themselves. Encourage them to sit in a comfortable chair with their feet up.
· Make medications are taken. When a person is very short of breath, it can feel much more difficult to swallow medications. They might also be so tired that they forget to take them. Watch closely to make sure they take their medications on time, as prescribed.
· Keep them calm. Fighting for air can easily invoke panic, which makes it even more difficult to pull in a breath. That turns into a vicious and frightening cycle. Talk with them in gentle tones and remind them that staying calm will help them feel better.
· Monitor their oxygen levels. Often an increase in their oxygen intake will help with the exacerbations. But if you notice that their oxygen saturation is dropping (through the use of a simple fingertip monitor), that means they might need more than just a boost in oxygen.
· Stay in touch with their medical team. Keep the doctor updated on how things are going. Though many exacerbations can be treated by a caregiver at home, the doctor can determine if it’s time to bring them into the hospital for more extensive treatment.
· Be ready for anything. Exacerbations can become worse very quickly. Be ready to get help right away. A medical alert system with fall detection can help you with this. Your loved one can simply press the emergency alert button to get help fast, even if they don’t have the breath to call out for you.
Other Caregiving Tips for a Loved One with COPD
Though your day-to-day caregiving will change based on their health on a particular day, there are some things you can do to help make those days as smooth as possible. There are several little things you can do to make life easier, such as running errands for them or handling household chores that leave them short of breath.
You can also make a point of simplifying their space, such as rearranging furniture to make it easier to move around the home or moving their bedroom to the ground floor to ensure they don’t have to climb steps. If that’s not possible, look into a stair lift that can help them move from one floor to another. The goal is to help them remain as independent as possible.
Here are some other tips for caregivers:
· Get educated. Talk to a respiratory therapist about COPD and what you can do to help your loved one breathe easier. They will also have a wealth of knowledge about the oxygen that your loved one uses or will eventually need. Know how to use the oxygen properly and practice to make sure you’ve got it right.
· Mitigate the risks. Oxygen treatment requires long tubing from the oxygen tank to the nosepiece. That tubing is notorious for increasing the risk of falls. Use clips and other devices to make the tubing more compact and safe. It’s also a good idea to gift your loved one with a medical alert bracelet or wristband, especially one with fall detection.
· Keep the home cool and comfortable. Keeping the home comfortable can actually reduce exacerbations of COPD. Studies have found that there is a direct correlation between the temperature of a room and the risk of hospitalization for COPD exacerbations. Make sure the air conditioning works well and change the filters regularly. Dehumidifiers can help reduce the humidity in the house and make it easier to breathe. An air purifier is also a good idea.
· Regularly clean the respiratory machines. Your loved one might have several devices to help them breathe better, such as inhalers, nebulizers, or BiPAP machines. According to the journal Tuberculosis & Respiratory Diseases, those with COPD are 16 times more likely to develop pneumonia, and part of the reason is that bacteria and other contaminants can get into the devices they use to help with breathing.2 Ask a respiratory therapist for tips on cleaning a particular device very well.
· Stay away from harsh chemicals. When you clean the house, avoid chemicals that have a strong scent. A few breaths of that can be enough to compromise their breathing. Even scented bath products could provoke a negative reaction, so test them carefully to make sure your loved one can enjoy their favorite scents without making things worse.
· Encourage them to practice breathing techniques. The respiratory therapist will provide a wealth of potential breathing techniques that can help ease the symptoms of COPD. There are also certain ways to cough that might bring up more mucus and make it easier to breathe. Ask the therapist to show you how to do these so you can guide the practice at home.
· Make sure they get lots of water. Staying hydrated can help thin mucus and make it easier to get it out of the lungs. Make sure they are taking sips of water all the time and keep refilling their glass. (Of course, check with the doctor first to make sure it’s okay to drink as much as they want.)
To dive deeper into caregiving for those with COPD, the COPD Caregiver’s Toolkit from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institution can help.3
And finally, don’t underestimate the power of your intuition. You might feel that something is a little “off” with your loved one but you can’t really explain why. In that case, call their doctor anyway. Caregivers are often the first people to notice when a health situation is going downhill. It’s especially important to get help for those with COPD before the condition worsens.
