One of the complaints your senior might have if she has COPD is that she’s constantly tired. There are some very good reasons for her to be as tired as she is. This progressive lung disease involves every system of your elderly family member’s body, not just her lungs. 

Everything Is More Difficult 

When breathing is difficult, everything is much more difficult. Your senior’s body is working doubly and triply hard just to get the oxygen that she needs. In order to do anything beyond that, there’s even more energy being expended. You may notice that your elderly family member has trouble with tasks that weren’t a problem for her ever before, simply because her breathing presents far more difficulty for her now. 

It’s More Than Just Being Tired 

You might be tempted to chalk all of this up to just being more tired. But it’s more than that. Fatigue is not something that more rest is typically able to correct. Your senior is likely to be far closer to exhaustion than even she realizes. Your elderly family member’s doctor may be able to recommend some solutions that help her to get the rest that she needs in order to actually recharge. 

She May Also Be Depressed 

There’s more, too. The losses that your senior is experiencing, especially in terms of what she can no longer do because of COPD, seriously contribute to depression. Managing her depression may not be as easy as reminding her of what she can do. Some people with COPD require medication and even talk therapy to help them to deal with what they’re feeling because of their lung issues. 

Quality of Life Is Impacted Greatly 

Your senior’s entire quality of life is affected by her ability to breathe easily. When she’s constantly out of breath and feeling fatigued, she’s not able to enjoy her life the way that she should be able to. Talk to her doctor about the best ways that you can help her to enjoy the time that she has left, whether that means changing medications or finding the right therapies, like pulmonary rehabilitation, to do what she can to be as fit as possible. 

Dealing with the fatigue of COPD means conserving energy as much as your senior can. Working with elder care providers and allowing them to take over tasks that require a great deal of energy can help her immensely. 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering elder care in Frisco, TX please contact the caring staff at Sunlife Home Care today at (877) 888-1311.