Nursing interventions and care plan for COPD
The most common cause of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is damage or disorder to the lungs or the air tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. COPD commonly causes difficulty breathing that gets worse over time. Besides the medical COPD care plans, individuals can manage the disease and its symptoms using the following home remedies when they are in Plano, TX, and nearby areas.
- If a person smokes, it’s the right time to stop smoking. Most people with COPD smoke or used to smoke. Rather than breathing in smoke, such irritants as chemical fumes and dust can also cause COPD.
- Staying active lets you fight the main symptoms of COPD. You can manage the shortness of breath while simply increasing your fitness levels.
- Maintaining proper body weight is also important for people with COPD.
- Avoiding such negative emotions as stress, depression, and anxiety should improve the person’s ability to manage health and quality of life.
- The in-home nursing care plan for COPD can be as simple as doing some breathing exercises.
Home therapy for COPD patients
Home therapy for COPD patients
The in-home COPD plan of care can also involve such simple techniques that include but are not limited to the following:
- Developing muscle strength. People with COPD may have difficulty exercising because of breathing issues. However, avoiding exercising can only worsen COPD symptoms because it can result in muscle weakness.
- Water-based exercises can be a great alternative to regular workouts. A person with COPD disabilities can significantly improve their life quality by taking water-based exercises.
- Taking Vitamin D allows COPD patients to increase the inflammation of the airways and reduce the body’s ability to clear bacteria.
- COPD patients can also use essential oils to open up the airways. They can use essential oils in a diffuser or apply them to the skin.
Goals for COPD patients
The goals of COPD nursing care are to control symptoms, reduce exacerbations, improve respiratory capacity, and reduce mortality. In most cases, the goals align with the COPD therapies explained above. These include taking the actions aimed at:
- Finding a treatment plan to live with and stay on track;
- Creating an environment free of COPD triggers;
- Eating a COPD-friendly diet;
- Exercising helps the whole body and the lungs in particular.
COPD and speech therapy
Speech therapy can help patients with COPD manage their breathing difficulties and prevent the issues that can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis. A speech therapist checks the patient’s breathing and swallowing. Then, the specialist makes a plan to help a person swallow well, avoiding the risk of aspiration pneumonia. If you or your beloved person needs a professional speech therapist in Dallas, call the Aurora Home Health team.
