Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive, chronic disease. COPD is also a leading cause of disability and death in the United States. As the disease progresses, caring for a loved one with COPD can be overwhelming and challenging. Symptoms can be frightening and hard to manage without the expert care hospice or palliative care brings. We hope our blog provides insights to help you understand COPD and empowers you to care for a loved one with this devastating disease.

UNDERSTANDING COPD

COPD is an umbrella term for a range of progressive lung diseases. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema can both result in COPD. According to the American Lung Association, the airways in your lungs become inflamed and thickened with COPD, and the tissue where oxygen is exchanged is destroyed. The flow of air in and out of your lungs decreases. When that happens, less oxygen gets into your body tissues, and it becomes harder to rid the body of carbon dioxide waste. As the disease gets worse, shortness of breath makes it harder to remain active.

COPD is a chronic disease with no cure. COPD is also a progressive disease and can gradually get worse. How fast it progresses from mild to severe varies from person to person. The primary, or main, cause of COPD is smoking. But not all smokers develop the disease.

COPD SYMPTOMS

Living with COPD has both mental and physical challenges that cold winter days can amplify. The change in season and drop in temperature can cause COPD symptoms to worsen, and you may notice your loved one struggling even more than usual, potentially resulting in unexpected trips to the emergency room (ER) and hospital stays.

In the early stages of COPD, symptoms will be milder. Your loved one will likely feel out of breath with activities like walking up stairs. They may attribute symptoms to “getting older.” In these early days their lifestyle will be less impacted than in later stages.

As COPD progresses into later stages, symptoms will increase and become more difficult to manage without expert support. Your loved one will struggle more with shortness of breath. Their lifestyle will feel greatly impacted as almost any activity will lead to shortness of breath. COPD patients in later stages may make frequent trips to the ER or be admitted to the hospital for uncontrolled symptoms.

ACCEPTING SUPPORT

As a family caregiver it may be difficult for you to accept support. Many of us take on this role believing that it is solely our responsibility. Accepting support may feel like you’re giving up the care of your loved one to someone else. But it’s important to understand that when caring for a loved one with a serious illness like COPD, gaining the support of an expert team will help you ensure the best care possible. You will also remain an active part of the caregiving team when partnering with Ascend Hospice & Palliative Care. We bring an extra layer of expert care and support that works alongside the care you give to your loved one.

Accepting support also helps you be a better caregiver. The emotional and physical stress of caring for a loved one with COPD can be overwhelming. Accepting support, allowing hospice to “share the care,” can help you avoid caregiver burnout and empower you to care for your loved one.

HOW CAN HOSPICE HELP A LOVED ONE WITH COPD


While there is no cure for this chronic and progressive disease, Ascend Hospice & Palliative Care can greatly improve quality of life. Our team of caregivers, including registered nurses and hospice physicians, is uniquely trained in the management of COPD. Through highly skilled care that controls symptoms and reduces anxiety, discomfort and stress, Ascend reduces the burden of illness and enhances quality of life.

-   Ascend Hospice CNAs help with everyday responsibilities that may become more difficult for your loved one, like bathing, grooming, changing linens, light housekeeping and simple meal preparation.

-   Our expert care helps control distressing symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, depression and anxiety.

-   Our hospice care offers patient-focused care with individual plans of care and 24/7 access to Ascend nurses. This support helps reduce ER visits and hospitalizations.

-   We help you feel empowered by ensuring you understand COPD and how to prepare for your loved one’s changing needs.

-   Our care includes physical, emotional and spiritual support focused on whole-person well-being.

-   Ascend Hospice provides and oversees all equipment, supplies and medications related to your loved one’s COPD.

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO CONSIDER HOSPICE CARE?

Ascend offers both hospice and palliative care for COPD patients. Our palliative care services are available during any stage of COPD. Ascend Palliative Care provides symptom management and helps ease the stress and burden of illness. Hospice becomes an option when your focus turns from seeking a cure to seeking quality for the time that remains, usually six months or less. Hospice often becomes a choice when a loved one or you are seeking relief from frequent emergency room visits or are physically or emotionally tired of challenging treatments that no longer have a positive impact on life expectancy or quality. Your loved one’s increasing discomfort and symptoms can help determine when the full support of hospice care would be more beneficial than palliative care. Hospice care may be a choice when your loved one is:

-   Spending more time sleeping or resting in a favorite chair

-   Experiencing repeated cases of bronchitis, pneumonia and other lung infections

-   Experiencing increasing shortness of breath, even at rest

-   Having more difficulty with daily care like grooming, bathing, eating or dressing

-   Visiting the ER for frightening or uncontrolled symptoms

-   Experiencing a decline in physical endurance and requiring oxygen use for the majority of the time or all the time

-   Feeling their medications are no longer as effective

-   Showing signs of decreased appetite and unexplained weight loss 

At Ascend Hospice & Palliative Care we believe in the combined power of compassion, expert care, real support and understanding. Every day we empower those in our care to live more fully. Our care is not about giving up, but about hope. If you are struggling with caring for a loved one with a serious illness like COPD, we can walk beside you. We can help you determine when our palliative care or hospice care may be the best option. Reach out to us for support, answers and comfort — you don’t have to face COPD alone.