COPD, also known as chronic inflammatory lung disease, is one of the main causes of death throughout the U.S. More than 16 million U.S. citizens have a COPD diagnosis and millions of others have it but don’t know it. It is important to know that if your elderly loved one has COPD, home health care nurses and providers can help to care for them. They can teach your elderly loved one way to reduce their exacerbations and teach your loved one how to manage the symptoms of this disease.

Tips for Better Breathing

If your elderly loved one is dealing with shortness of breath, some of the breathing tips that home health care nurses and providers can teach your elderly loved one include the following:

• Relaxing the shoulder and neck muscles
• Breathing in through their nose slowly for 2 breaths (with the mouth shut)
• Deep breaths aren’t necessary
• Purse the lips and breathe out for 4 breaths
• Don’t force out the air

Your elderly loved one should follow these steps until they feel like they have control over their breaths.

Tips for Breathing from the Diaphragm

If your elderly loved one needs to breathe better from their diaphragm, some of the tips that home health care nurses and providers can offer them include the following:

• Sitting comfortable
• Relaxing the shoulders
• Putting one hand on the chest and the other on the stomach
• Breathing in the nose for 2 breaths
• Purse the lips, press on the stomach gently, and slowly exhale for 2 breaths

To get the best results, your elderly loved one should continue following through with these steps until they feel in control of their breathing.

Other Treatments for Better Breathing At Home

In addition to the above-mentioned tips, home health care nurses and providers may offer your elderly loved one other breathing tips. Some of these might include the following:

• Sit forward and relax the body
• Sit forward and get support from a table
• Stand with something supporting the back
• Sleep in a more comfortable position
• Blow cool air toward the face to help improve breathing

If your elderly loved one follows these tips, they could help them to breathe easier.

If your elderly loved one has COPD, there are numerous tips that can help to improve their breathing. Be sure to set your elderly loved one up with home health care services to get the help they need to breathe easier.

Sources:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3815613/
https://www.cdc.gov/copd/index.html

If you are considering Home Health Care Services in Ashland OH, call the caring staff at Central Star Home Health at (419) 610-2161.  Providing services for families in Mansfield, Lexington, Bellville, Crestline, Galion, Shelby, Ashland, Ontario and the surrounding areas.

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Stephen Sternbach

CEO at Central Star Home Health Services

With over 35 years of experience, Stephen Sternbach has been the Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Star Multi Care Services since 1987. After the sale of the New York and New Jersey operations of Star Multi Care Services, Sternbach brought the company private where he remains President and CEO of this 40-million dollar company. With Sternbach at the helm, Star Multi Care Services employs more than 650 employees, in six offices throughout Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.

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