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Aging Life Care Management
Or -
SENIORCARE OPTIONS
Hel
www.seniorcareopt.com
770-579-9177
for the Metro Atlanta Area
Assisting medically frail seniors,
disabled adults, & their caregivers.
Monthly Newsletter
COPD: Learn More, Breathe Easier
Take a slow, deep breath. Let’s take a moment to trace the path of
your breath.
As the air enters your body - it is warmed,
moisturized, and filtered. It travels down the
windpipe into your airways (bronchi) and then
into your lungs. Once in your lungs, it travels
through the air sacs (alveoli) where it delivers
oxygen to your bloodstream. Within the lungs, there are millions of hair
like devices (cilia) that clean out mucus and move it upward to be
expelled. After the oxygen is used, it becomes carbon dioxide which is
breathed out.
This is an amazing and primarily unconscious process that happens
constantly during the day and actively supports our ability to live.
With COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) – the lungs lose
their flexibility, they become inflamed, the airways thicken, there is
lessened air flow, and the lung tissue is damaged – especially in the cilia
and alveoli. This decreases the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the
lungs.
It is harder to breathe – with increased coughing, wheezing, tightness in
the chest, and increased anxiety because the ability to breathe becomes
much more of a struggle. Less oxygen is made available to the
bloodstream and it is more difficult to fully expel the waste from the
lungs (mucus and carbon dioxide). This lung failure causes a tremendous,
without known cure, progressing disability that will kill many. It is the 3rd
leading cause of death currently in the United States.
COPD, in its more debilitating stages, was once described as “trying
to take every breath needed through a drinking straw.”
Smoking, at any point of one’s life, is the primary risk factor for COPD.
Studies show that 80% of all COPD deaths are caused by smoking. COPD
can also be caused by occupational exposure to certain industrial
pollutants, air pollution, and second-hand smoke. Researchers are also
finding a limited number of cases are contributed to genetic factors –
specifically a deficiency of a protein produced by the liver that protects
lung functioning.
If a person has a history of smoking, long-term exposure to air
pollutants, chronic coughing or wheezing, increased shortness of
breath, or lessened stamina (as compared to others their age) –
they should be screened by their physician for COPD.
If diagnosed with COPD, various medications and treatments can help to
lessen symptoms and to slow the progression of the disease. Pulmonary
rehabilitation – which is a specific program of education, support, and
exercise – can assist to retain one’s function as their highest potential
level for as long as possible.
Resources Available
COPD Foundation – www.copdfoundation.org – Great website
providing information regarding COPD, tips to quit smoking, and information
regarding oxygen, pulmonary rehab, and other treatments. The site also provides
a simple screening tool to see if one is at increased risk for developing COPD.
American Lung Association – www.lung.org – Great information
regarding understanding, preventing, and treating COPD. They also have a free
American Lunch Association Lung HelpLine and Tobacco QuitLine which is staffed
by clinical professionals to assist those with questions about lung health, need
assistance in finding pulmonary healthcare providers, desire to stop smoking, have
questions about medications, or need financial aid – 1-800-LUNGUSA.
Support Group Information
Lacy Doremus, LMSW, C-ASWCM, facilitates a monthly caregiver support group at
7pm at Presbyterian Village - conference room between Hearthstone and
Wellness center. The address is 2000 E West Connector Austell, GA and meetings
are held the last Tuesday of each month at 7pm.
Lisa Meeks, MS, CTRS, CMC facilitates a monthly spousal support group at Arbor
Terrace East Cobb on the third Thursday each month at noon. The address is 886
Johnson Ferry Rd. Marietta, GA. RSVPs are required and should be provided to
Arbor Terrace at 770-977-4420 – as complimentary lunch is served.
Lisa also facilitates a monthly spousal support group at Arbor Terrace of Crabapple
on the first Tuesday each month at noon – private dining room. The address is
12200 Crabapple Rd. Alpharetta, GA. RSVPs are required and should be provided
to Arbor Terrace at 678-894-7803 - as complimentary lunch is served.
About SeniorCare Options
SeniorCare Options provides Certified Aging Life Care Management throughout
the Metro-Atlanta area. Our team consists of Master’s level clinicians in the fields
of counseling, social work, therapeutic recreation, and registered nursing. Our
backgrounds are vast and specific to the current clinical needs of our clients and
their families who may be in transition, have chronic or difficult-to-manage
conditions, and who require increased guidance. Our interdisciplinary focus,
extensive experience, and heightened sensitivity to their specific needs prove to
be an invaluable asset to families faced with the maze of options and care needs.
For more information regarding Aging Life Care Management services, our support
groups, or to inquire about requesting services for someone under your care,
please contact us at: 770-579-9177 or brandih@seniorcareopt.com.
SeniorCare Options March 2015