COPD is a group of lung issues and it affects everyone who has it slightly differently.

One common fact, however, is that people with COPD do have a much higher risk of falling. Senior care providers can be a great resource for assistance when coping with COPD and good senior health.

Dizziness and Breathing Difficulties

COPD affects your senior’s ability to be able to breathe, of course, which can lead to shortness of breath and other problems. Not having enough oxygen in her blood on a consistent basis can lead to lightheadedness, which is a definite risk factor for falling. Your senior’s doctor may want to keep tabs on her oxygen levels with something as simple as a pulse oximeter that she can use at home.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition causes a great many problems for older adults. If your elderly family member is having trouble cooking or keeping up with meal preparation, that can cause significant trouble for her in terms of falling. She may have blood sugar levels that are consistently low and muscles that aren’t getting the nutrients that they need. Having help with meals can be the easiest solution, and in-home care providers are able to make sure your senior is eating healthy meals consistently.

Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue

COPD makes sleep difficult sometimes, often because your senior is uncomfortable and having trouble breathing. That can lead to ongoing fatigue, which makes daily tasks that much more complicated and can lead to fall risks. Home care providers can help with this, too, by taking tasks off your senior’s daily to do list and helping her with them. That can enable her to use the energy that she has more wisely for things that she needs to be the one to handle.

Equipment Clutter

In the later stages of COPD your senior may have more equipment around than she or you expect her to have. Oxygen tanks, nebulizers, and more come with a lot of tubing and power cords. They can easily overwhelm a space that might have been comfortable for your senior in the past. That’s also a prime recipe for tripping hazards, which is not something that your senior needs. In-home care providers can help your elderly family member to stay on top of clearing that clutter so she’s able to stay as safe as possible.

Knowing what the risk factors for good senior health are for your senior with COPD can help you to reduce their impact on your senior’s life. You might not be able to bring her fall risk down to zero, but you can do more than you might think.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in San Jose, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today. Call (866)-940-4855

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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