COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a group of progressive lung diseases, the most common being emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Activities of daily living (ADL) is a term that was first coined by Sidney Katz in 1950. Essentially, it refers to the basic functions that an individual must perform on a daily basis in order to be considered self-sufficient. By better understanding the level of independence of patients with debilitating illnesses like COPD, osteoporosis, or Alzheimer’s Disease, medical professionals are able to make better decisions for their patient’s well-being such as recommending medical equipment or an assisted living facility. Activities of daily living are generally divided into five distinct categories:

Anxiety can show itself in a number of ways for a multitude of different reasons. If you have COPD or another obstructive respiratory disease that makes breathing difficult, you may also experience anxiety related symptoms due to breathlessness. 

Beside oxygen therapy, and utilizing a portable oxygen concentrator, people with COPD are left with few other options to explore that would potentially add years to their lives. Studies have shown that hypoxic patients’s respiratory health improves greatly from long-term oxygen therapy but a viable treatment beyond oxygen therapy, still must be explored.