Home Care of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Disease state characterized by airflow that is not fully reversible– Emphysema – Chronic bronchitis– Small airway disease

• Fourth leading cause of death

Home Care Programs can..

• Educate patients about the disease, treatment options, and coping strategies.

• Educate patients to manage the disease and reduce the dependence on health professionals and costly medical resources.

• Maintain healthy behaviors—such as smoking cessation, good nutrition, and exercise—in an attempt to reduce the impact of COPD

Cigna & Cigna. 2005. Rehabilitation for the Home Care Patient With COPD

Home Care Programs can..

• Help with medications and oxygen therapy management.

• Help with secretions management.• Reduce and control breathing difficulties and

other symptoms.• Improve activity tolerance and the ability to

perform usual daily activities.

Cigna & Cigna. 2005. Rehabilitation for the Home Care Patient With COPD

Important Tasks to be Done

• Pulmonary rehabilitation– Disease education and cardiovascular conditioning

• Medications– Bronchodilators, anticholinergic agents, beta

agonists, glucocorticoids, theophylline, oxygen therapy

• Regular health visits• Equipment

Important Tasks to be Done

• Monitoring of patient’s condition (Things to watch out for)– Excessive trouble in breathing during everyday activities– Greater than usual coughing or chest pain during cough– Increased mucus production or change in the appearance

of the mucus– Swelling in the hands or feet– Ramping of muscles– Tiredness or weakness– Headaches, insomnia, confusion– Trouble in sleeping related to shortness of breath