Here at the Wednesday Check in, you can talk with friends with COPD who have some of the same feelings and experiences you do. But what about the people in your life who don’t have COPD? Last month we talked about ways to communicate with family and friends using words and body language. So, with the upcoming holidays in mind, and if you’re fortunate enough to have family near you, let’s zoom that lens out a bit and look, not at words, but at a few actions involving you, your family, and COPD. Some friends in our community have young children, so we’ll also look at a few “kid tips.”
Staying active…staying safe
As always, ask for help when you need it, and check with your doctor, if necessary, about doing any activity that is outside your usual routine.
It can be hard for a person with COPD to continue doing some activities. Here are some suggestions on how to approach it:
- Ask your loved ones to not rush over to help before they know whether or not you can accomplish a task on your own.
- Show them that you want to try. Tell them that you need to keep your body and muscles as conditioned as possible—and that you need to feel useful.
- For trick or treat time next week (if it’s warm enough) you can hand out treats by sitting outside on the porch, steps, or a lawn chair near the door. Make sure an able-bodied teen or other loved one with a mobile phone is there with you if you need something… or if you run out of candy!
- For the upcoming holidays—there are a lot of ways for you to stay involved and help out while sitting down. Wrapping gifts, drying dishes, arranging a snack tray, and other tasks can be done while sitting at the kitchen table and catching up with family.
- Kid tips—Children learn by doing, and it’s good for them to learn to help others. They know that if they needed your help, you’d be there for them. So let them be there for you.
Watching for early warning signs
If you don’t already have the My COPD Action Plan posted on your refrigerator, consider doing it! The information alone on the Action Plan can be helpful to everybody in your household. For example, if you are starting to develop a lung infection and family members know what to look for, they may notice it before you do. This can give you an early start on fighting an infection and getting rid of it before it becomes serious.
Kid Tip—Show your young readers the Action Plan and talk about the “Take Action” items for green days. Setting an example that you are following a plan to take care of your health is a great lesson for any child! Keep it positive. Don’t go into talking about yellow or red days unless your child asks about it. You can find the My COPD Action Plan along with other family-friendly COPD educational materials in our free downloads library: COPD Foundation Educational Materials
Getting out
As always, use Covid-19 precautions according to current CDC guidance when going outside your home.
Although it’s easy to just stay home, ask your loved ones to help you stay socialized. Their gentle encouragement can make a difference. It’s good to get out, do things, and see people—and it’s good for people to see you!
Kid tip – Children appreciate your support when you attend their band concert, soccer game, or other activity. It’s okay to wear your supplemental oxygen or ride in a wheelchair if you need it. Frankly, it’s the smart thing to do! Seeing a happy, supportive parent or grandparent— whether they have a prosthetic limb, hearing aids, supplemental oxygen, or something else—normalizes health challenges and prepares your kids, their friends, and their parents, to be more accepting of those with health challenges in the future.
Involving your family members, of any age, in various aspects of your COPD management can bring you comfort—and help them learn some great life lessons. No doubt about it, COPD can cause some losses in your life, but you can preserve something precious you do have—one another.
Is there some aspect of your COPD management that works for you and your loved ones? Let’s talk! I look forward to hearing from you!
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