Photo Credit: JackF / istockphoto.com
3. Remaining Independent
There’s no doubt about it: the exercise and education at the heart of pulmonary rehab will help you stay independent for longer. COPD is a progressive disease, and the more your mind and body suffer under the weight of it, the more difficult it is to do things for yourself. In the worst cases, patients lose the ability to support themselves day in and day out.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is good insurance against a dependent lifestyle. As you build a stronger, more energetic body, you will also learn about assistive devices, good nutrition, and stress reduction techniques that will help you continue to live safely and comfortably on your own.
Resources
NCBI (Mortality and mortality-related factors after hospitalization for acute exacerbation of COPD)WebMD (Pulmonary Rehabilitation for COPD)COPD Foundation (What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation?)Patient.info (Pulmonary Rehabilitation)
COPD is progressive; this means many people with COPD eventually develop hypoxemia, which may result in the need to use oxygen.
