Look Who it Was Random video

Supporting People with COPD

3,030 views · Published 26 May 2014 · 1:50 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2014 · Science & Technology

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It's something so fundamental we probably take it for granted. But for those struggling with COPD, the simple act of breathing can become a non-stop nightmare.

"Having breathing problems can be very frightening. People that can't breath are scared all the time, and they're anxious and sometimes depressed and they really need support," says Joan Carroll, director of Lee Memorial Health System's Care Transitions program.

A mixture of bronchitis and emphysema, COPD is a progressive lung disease. Patients with advanced disease are in and out of the hospital. To help them better support, Lee Memorial Health System realized - you have to teach them.

"We started making home visits and we discovered some patients have oxygen tubing that would be 50, 75 foot, which means the patient isn't getting any of the oxygen they thought they were getting," Carroll says. "They weren't taking their medication correctly. Some of the patients didn't know the difference between acute inhalers and their daily inhalers."

Faced with these conditions, quality of life was low. But giving COPD patients extra attention in their homes over the course of a year is proving to be life-changing.

Under the Care Transitions program, patients get help from specialized therapists who address medications, diet, conserving energy, symptom management, even social issues, with the goal of increased independence. 

"Some of our COPD patients - their goal is to be able to walk to the mailbox because they haven't done it in a long time. So when we get patients that are that severe and they can make it to the mailbox, it's a real success," Carroll says.

It's about putting the 'living' back in life. 

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we've been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

Visit leememorial.org

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