COPD Care

ConsidraCare caregivers are professionals and can provide specific COPD Care to elderly loved ones in the comfort of their own homes.

What is COPD?

Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a group of inflammatory diseases affecting the lungs which cause airflow obstruction and difficulty in breathing. There are two main types: chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Both are chronic conditions and can become life-threatening. It is very common in smokers.

What are the early warning signs of COPD?

Chronic cough with or without sputum
Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
Feeling of chest tightness and wheezing
Repeated chest infections
In the later stages there may be weight loss and death.

What is the impact of COPD on quality of life?

COPD causes breathlessness and affects the quality of life. As symptoms get worse a person may be unable to perform daily activities and can become dependent upon other people. In the later stages, a COPD patient may need oxygen daily to be able to breathe. Not only physical but mental health also gets impacted and it can cause severe depression and anxiety.

ConsidraCare's caregivers are trained to provide COPD care

Top caregiver do's for COPD care

Education is the key. It is important to recognize disease flare-ups and get your loved one checked up by the doctor.
Encourage your loved one to stop smoking
Physical activities such as walking and gentle exercises as well as weight reduction are important as well.
Remind your loved one to take medications, this also includes oxygen as needed. Remember to tell them to stay away from the stove while using oxygen.

Top caregiver don'ts for COPD care

Don't ignore when your loved one is feeling unwell as flare-ups and infections can be fatal.
Don't smoke or adopt an unhealthy lifestyle in front of your loved ones.
Don't give in when your loved one underestimates oxygen use and encourage them to use it once prescribed by the doctor, as this can be very beneficial in COPD.

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 stages of COPD?

Mild COPD-No symptoms: During stage-I COPD, you don’t feel difficulty in breathing unless you are walking fast, hiking, or running.
Moderate COPD-Fewer Symptoms: During stage-II COPD, you feel breathing difficulty while walking on a ground level and you may also feel the need to stop and breathe every few minutes.
Severe COPD-More Symptoms: Stage-III COPD makes it difficult for you to breathe while completing everyday tasks (e.g. dressing, toileting, and grooming).
Extreme COPD-More Symptoms: The final and most severe stage of COPD is stage-IV. Even when resting or sitting, you may have shortness of breath in the last stages of COPD. Heart or lung failure may potentially result from COPD in stage IV.

At what stage of COPD do you need oxygen?

Most Stage-IV COPD patients require more oxygen. But it can also be used if the patient notices greater shortness of breath or if the oxygen level in their blood falls below 90% on a regular pulse oximeter. Right-sided heart failure can be avoided with enough oxygen.

How to prevent COPD?

According to the Canadian Lung Association (CLA), carbon monoxide levels are cut in half compared to smokers after quitting smoking for eight hours. Therefore, if you stop smoking, your breathing will significantly improve within 2–7 months.