Breathing difficulties are likely to become a bigger issue for your senior as she gets closer to the end of her life. Just the feeling that breathing is more difficult can contribute to breathing issues, so it’s important to have a variety of solutions ready to go for her. Having help from experienced palliative care providers can go a long way toward making breathing easier, too.
Consider Medications and Other Treatments
Some of the medications that your elderly family member takes for health conditions may cause her to experience trouble breathing. It’s also possible that adding certain medications to her existing treatment plan, such as anxiety medications, can help her to breathe a little bit better. Oxygen therapy may be something else to consider, particularly if your elderly family member is having trouble breathing deeply.
Meditation and Mindfulness Might Help
If your elderly family member is experiencing anxiety, using mindfulness exercises and meditation may be helpful. Guided meditations are an easy way to help your senior and you to deal with some of the feelings you might be experiencing. These types of activities can also help your senior to calm her brain as she’s trying to ease her breathing.
Get Some Air Moving
When your elderly family member is having trouble breathing, making sure that air is circulating can be very helpful. Take advantage of good weather and open windows to let a breeze through the room. If that’s not possible, fans and central air systems are the next best option. Even a small fan near your senior can do a lot to help her to breathe easier. You may also want to check the humidity levels in your senior’s room to make sure that it’s not too humid or too dry for her to breathe easily.
Prop Her Carefully
Lying flat or even sitting in certain positions can contribute to breathing issues. Using pillows, blankets, and other cozy items to prop your elderly family member into a comfortable position can help immensely. This is especially the case if she’s most comfortable in a semi-reclined position that’s tough to hold on her own. It’s also important that your senior changes positions regularly enough to avoid things like pressure sores or pain in her joints from staying in one position for too long.
Palliative Care Provides Aid
Palliative care providers can help you and your senior to find other ways to help manage breathing issues as they crop up. If some solutions that used to work no longer do, they can work with her medical team to help find other options.
If you or your aging loved one could benefit from Palliative Care in North SC, contact the caring staff at Grove Park Hospice, (803)536-6644.
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