Learn helpful COPD information from Nightingale Homecare.COPD is a condition involving several diseases of the lungs: bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. If your loved one has a diagnosis of COPD, you know what a struggle it can be to manage this disease.
You have likely witnessed your loved one deal with the symptoms of the disease: shortness of breath, coughing, limited stamina, and wheezing lung sounds. Your loved one is not alone, as nearly 30 million Americans suffer with this disease. However, nearly half of those individuals have symptoms but are unaware they have the disease.
Causes of COPD are generally attributed to a history of smoking, exposure to harmful environmental pollutants or genetic factors. It is important to identify the exposure in order to eliminate it. Quitting smoking is critical in the treatment of the disease, as is eliminating exposure to certain chemicals or fumes typically found on some work sites. Long-term exposure to secondhand smoke is also a cause, and genetic factors can play a role as well. It is believed that a deficiency of Alpha-1 Antitrysin protein can cause the white blood cells to begin to harm the lungs; learn more here about AATD and testing for this genetic condition.
Fortunately, there are screening methods that can help lead to diagnosis and treatment, and once an individual is diagnosed, there is much he or she can do to help manage the symptoms of COPD. Early screening and treatment is a must to help limit the damaging effects of the disease. The professional nurses at Nightingale Homecare offer a chronic disease management program called Pathlink, aimed specifically at teaching those with COPD to self-manage their condition and drastically improve quality of life!
When you partner with Nightingale Homecare, top providers of home care Paradise Valley families trust, your loved one’s professional home care nurse will teach all of the risk factors associated with COPD and how to eliminate or limit them. Your loved one will also be taught how to manage the illness with medication management, breathing techniques, exercise and activity levels, and how to spot the warning signs of a COPD exacerbation.
There is really no better way to manage this disease than empowering your loved one to be in tune with his or her own body and treatment plan. Best of all, Nightingale will be there at every step of the way. Contact us at (602) 504-1555 to help your senior loved one achieve a higher quality of life.
