Taking care of someone with a chronic disease is difficult and caring for a loved one with COPD is no exception. Caregiving often feels like a crash-course in navigating healthcare. For COPD, the progressive nature of the diagnosis adds difficulty. With knowledge and resources, you can help your loved one manage their COPD and live a healthier life.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that affects nearly 16 million people in the United States.¹ COPD looks different for every patient. Because it is a progressive disease, your loved one’s needs and your role as a caregiver can change over time. 

As a caregiver, it’s important to understand the specifics of any diagnosis. Understanding COPD, including the warning signs, testing, and potential risks, will help you provide the care needed. If you are concerned that a loved one may have undiagnosed COPD, learn about the early symptoms and how to get diagnosed.

As you dive into learning about COPD, there is a lot of information available online and it’s important to look at reliable sources. Here are some resources to help you learn more about COPD:

• American Lung Association
• COPD Foundation
• Mayo Clinic
• Center for Disease Control

It’s always important to do a home safety check when you’re caring for a loved one. Use this checklist from the National Institute on Aging to help make sure your loved one’s home is safe and assess if there are any needed changes. For someone dealing with COPD, check for common risk factors like allergens, strong smells, mold, gas stoves, and wood burning fireplaces. All of these can negatively impact lung health.

Cleaning and chores can be a struggle for COPD patients because it’s important to conserve energy.² Approximately 25-30% of patients with COPD also have allergies.³ Keeping a clean and allergen-free house may help with COPD symptoms.

Clean carpet and bedding makes a huge difference for COPD patients, especially those with allergies.³ Helping to clean or hiring a cleaner for those tasks can help your loved one manage both their energy level and COPD symptoms. 

Exercise can help COPD but may be difficult if your loved one has not previously exercised consistently. Exercise requires more airflow, which makes breathing with COPD difficult. But with a doctor’s guidance, exercise can be part of a COPD patient’s routine.

Join your loved one for simple workouts like walking, stretching, or strength training. According to experts, people are more likely to stick with an exercise routine if they have a workout buddy.⁴ With time, strength and stamina gradually build, and people can increase the difficulty of their workouts.

Check out our tips for exercising with COPD. 

Your loved one may need help navigating the healthcare system. Managing a chronic condition means numerous appointments, specialists, and continued monitoring as it progresses. There are several ways to help manage their medical care.

• Join your loved one for doctor appointments. Write out any questions or observations about changes to their health. Planning helps you make the most of their doctor appointments.
• Provide or organize transportation. Your loved one may no longer feel comfortable driving. Driving your loved one to medical appointments always helps. If you’re not able to drive them, you can help coordinate transportation. Many health plans cover transportation and there are organizations that help seniors find transportation including www.transit.dot.gov, www.eldercare.acl.gov and www.211.org. 
• Assist researching treatments and specialists. Navigating insurance, websites, online reviews, and different treatment options is overwhelming. Help ease the burden by researching any potential doctors and helping your loved one select the right provider for their treatment. 

Cigarette smoking and other long-term exposures to lung irritants can cause COPD. Smoking accounts for 8 out of 10 COPD-related deaths.⁵ If your loved one is still smoking, talk to their doctor about quitting. Learn more about quitting smoking, managing withdrawal, and resources that can help. 

If your loved one’s condition progresses, the level of care needed can change. Communicate and work together to build a game plan for what care looks like in the future. Talk about advanced care planning, including who they want as their healthcare power of attorney and create a living will to outline medical wishes.⁶ Knowing what type of care they prefer will help you plan. You can talk to an eldercare or estate planning attorney to help navigate any legal questions. Even though this step is difficult, it’s important to address long-term questions related to care early.

Remember to take care of yourself, including preventive care and self-care as well. Caring for a loved one with COPD requires patience and perseverance since it’s a chronic condition and care may increase over time. Here are 10 ways to prevent caregiver burnout. Your role as a caregiver affects your loved one’s quality of life and makes a massive difference in their well-being.

Sources

1. “COPD.” CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/cdi/indicator-definitions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease.html.
2. “Conserving Energy and Managing Your Daily Activities.” American Lung Association, https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/living-with-copd/daily-activities.
3. “Household Hazards for People with COPD.” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/features/household-hazards-for-people-with-copd.
4. Landsverk, Gabby. “A Harvard researcher says working out with friends is the best way to meet your goals.” Business Insider, 10 July 2021, https://www.businessinsider.com/exercise-workout-partner-best-way-to-get-fit-harvard-expert-2021-7.
5. “Smoking and COPD.” CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/copd.html.
6. American Lung Association. Learning to Live with COPD Workbook. https://www.lung.org/getmedia/a09a3a63-5b76-4d36-9bfd-6e465c22d427/Learning-to-Live-with-COPD-Workbook.pdf.