How To Care For A Loved One With A Lung Disease?
Our senior loved ones often ignore symptoms such as a simple cough, breathing problem, occasional chest pain, etc but those can be an indication of lung diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), chronic bronchitis, asthma, etc. Studies have shown that millions of people globally may have some serious lung disease without even knowing it.
Today, let us focus on how to take care of your senior loved one with lung disease.
Senior loved ones living with pulmonary illness feel exhausted and uncomfortable and they may need the assistance of a professional caregiver to help them manage their symptoms. Professional caregivers are specially trained to take care of your senior loved ones to make them feel comfortable and better. You can hire a professional caregiver from an Elder Care service provider in Kolkata.
Keep a track of your senior loved one’s health:-
Monitor the health of your loved ones daily. Keep a track of their medications, blood pressure, breathing patterns, sleep habits, etc, and inform the doctor immediately if you notice any abnormality. If you are availing of caregiving services for seniors you love, ensure that the professional caregiver keeps you updated about the health of your senior loved ones regularly. Consistent tracking also helps doctors to detect important patterns that will help them with their treatment plan.
Diet:-
Diet plays an important role and your loved ones suffering from lung disease need a very healthy and nutritious diet. Besides eating healthy, some tips can help your senior loved ones boost their energy level and improve their daily function.
Instead of serving them, three large meals try to divide the larger meals into four to six smaller meals, this will prevent your loved ones from feeling full and this will put less stress on their diaphragm, making it easier for them to breathe.
Ensure your senior loved ones don’t consume foods that may cause gas, Bloating will be very much uncomfortable for a person who has difficulty breathing.
Encourage your loved ones to maintain a healthy body weight as obesity can make it more difficult to breathe.
Make sure your senior loved ones suffering from lung disease consume nutritious meals as people suffering from lung diseases such as COPD may be taking steroids for the long term, steroids are a crucial part of managing the disease but they interfere with the metabolism of vitamin and minerals such as Vitamin D and calcium. Have a chat with their doctors if any dietary supplements can be added to your senior loved ones' diet.
Exercise:-
Our senior loved ones with lung disease may feel lethargic to perform their daily chores, but regular light exercise can help them improve their blood oxygen level, cardiovascular health, and sleep quality. A brief walking, light stretching session, or some breathing exercise can make them feel better. Make sure to take advice from the doctor before your senior loved ones start any exercise routine. Elder Care Service providers in Kolkata provide doctor’s assistance in the comfort of home.
Also, keep your house clean and ensure that you don’t use strong-smelling cleaners, room fresheners, candles perfumes, etc.
Regular vacuuming and dusting will reduce the risk of exposure to dust, dust mites, etc, Ensure your senior loved ones abstain from smoking. Remember, if your loved ones don’t smoke also secondhand smoke is dangerous to them.
Last but not least it is always important to seek immediate medical attention if your loved one has the:-
Increased difficulty in breathing while talking or doing usual activities
Swollen hands, ankles, or feet
Blue or gray lips or fingernails that indicate low blood oxygen level
Muscle cramps or weakness
Mucus that is mixed with blood and is green or yellow with an odor
These are some of the tips that you can follow while taking care of your loved ones suffering from lung disease to make them feel comfortable.