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Caring for Individuals with COPD
Education
To learn about COPD, caregivers can go
online to find resources related to treatment, proper
nutrition, pulmonary rehabilitation, medication,
exercise and so on. In addition, they can:
-
Sign up for a COPD newsletter to
keep pace with new developments and treatments
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Join a support group either in the
community or online
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Learn about medication and the
proper way to take it
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Know the equipment oxygen therapy
systems, including container, storage and delivery
systems
-
Be well-prepared for emergencies
-
Become familiar with the types of
exercise that benefit the individual with COPD and
stress its importance for mobility and extending
quality of life
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Become fluent in the terminology
Its important to have a level of
knowledge that enables you to ask the physician
effective questions on behalf of the COPDer, who may
forget or be hesitant, Anzalone says.
Communication
From the perspective of both the
individual with COPD and caregiver, the biggest
challenge can be communication. The individual with COPD
must help the caregiver understand what they are
experiencing, both emotionally and physically, while the
caregiver must empower the individual and learn how and
when to provide the right level of assistance.
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