24-Hour Home Care: COPD is a chronic lung disease that negatively affects the quality of life of anyone who has it.
Therefore, it is important to know when COPD symptoms might be present in seniors because this can help you identify when they need medical attention and avoid any serious consequences. In this article, we will discuss how to identify common signs and symptoms of COPD in seniors. Your 24-Hour Home Care specialist can help you to keep an eye on this.
Shortness of Breath
This is one of the most common signs and symptoms of COPD in seniors. If you notice that your senior is having difficulty breathing or taking deep breaths, this could be a sign that something is wrong with their lungs. You should not ignore these signs because they can worsen quickly if left untreated.
Chest Tightness and Pain
Another common sign of COPD in seniors is chest tightening or pain. This often occurs when the lungs are inflamed, making it difficult for your senior to breathe. If you notice that your senior has constant chest pains with no signs of an illness like flu or fever, this could indicate that they have COPD and need medical attention as soon as possible.
Coughing Up Phlegm (Sputum)
When someone has chronic bronchitis, their body tries to clear out mucus from their airways by coughing it up. Sometimes, people will cough so hard that they start bringing up brown or yellow mucus. If your loved one is coughing a lot and bringing up phlegm, it could be an indication that they have COPD or another respiratory illness.
Weakness and Lack of Energy
COPD can make it difficult for seniors to perform even the simplest tasks. They might have a hard time walking up the stairs, getting dressed in the morning, or taking care of themselves. If you notice that your senior is becoming increasingly tired and weak over an extended period, they may be suffering from COPD.
Weight Loss
If your senior experiences unexplained weight loss when nothing has changed with their eating habits, this could also indicate something wrong with their lungs. If they are not breathing properly because of COPD, this will affect how much air gets into their body tissues. As a result, essential nutrients won’t get absorbed correctly by the cells, which leads them to lose muscle mass.
Fever
If your loved one has a fever without any other symptoms like body aches or an illness, it could be an indication that they have COPD. If they have a fever and are coughing up phlegm, this is an even bigger indicator that something could be wrong with their lungs.
Conclusion
COPD is a progressive lung disease that often goes undetected. Symptoms can be easily mistaken for other conditions, making COPD very difficult to diagnose in the early stages of the disease. In addition, taking care of a senior who has COPD and undergoing therapy is time-consuming and energy-draining. A 24-hour home care provider can provide transportation to the senior’s doctor’s visits.
24-hour home care for seniors can provide 24/7 assistance with tasks like cooking, cleaning, medication management, and more. Call 24 hour home care of seniors today to schedule an appointment!
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care in Gilbert, AZ, or anywhere in the East Valley, please contact the caring staff at Legacy Home Care.
Call (480) 777-0070
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/
https://journals.sagepub.com/
Legacy Home Care has been serving the valley since 2007. We are family owned and operated with over 75 caregivers. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as: Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans' Home Care program.
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