Conditions / COPD
Home health for COPD
COPD flare-ups are scary and often end in the emergency room. Home health nurses and therapists help you use your inhalers and oxygen correctly, spot a flare-up early, and build strength and breathing techniques, so you can do more with less breathlessness.
How home health helps
- Nursing visits to check breathing, oxygen levels, and signs of infection.
- Teaching on inhalers, nebulizers, and oxygen use and safety.
- A written plan for what to do when symptoms get worse.
- Breathing and energy-saving techniques from therapists, plus strength training.
- Coordination with your doctor or lung specialist when your symptoms change.
Learn more about our skilled nursing.
What to expect
- Your doctor orders home health, often after a hospital stay or a flare-up.
- The first visit reviews your medicines, oxygen, and home safety, and sets up your plan of care.
- Your doctor's orders set the visit schedule. Many plans have more visits at first, after a hospital stay or flare-up.
- The first visit is longer than later ones. The nurse or therapist reviews your health and medicines and checks your home for fall and safety risks. It is a safety check, not an inspection of your housekeeping.
- Home health is visits, not all-day care. Between visits, you and your family carry out the plan, and your care team teaches you how.
What you and your family do between visits
- Use inhalers and oxygen as prescribed, including at night if ordered.
- Keep oxygen away from open flames, smoking, gas stoves, and candles.
- Write down symptoms, rescue inhaler use, and oxygen readings for each visit.
- If the tubing slips off at night, the machine noise keeps you awake, or the nose prongs hurt, tell your nurse rather than stopping your oxygen.
- Get the vaccines your doctor recommends and avoid people who are sick.
When to call
Call your care team if…
- More short of breath than usual or using your rescue inhaler more often
- Mucus that changes color, gets thicker, or increases
- A fever, or new swelling in your ankles
- Trouble sleeping because of breathing
Use the number your care team gave you, or call us at 214-440-1394 (Texas) or 303-597-0505 (Colorado).
Call 911 if…
- Severe shortness of breath that does not improve with your rescue medicine
- Blue or gray lips or fingertips
- Confusion or extreme sleepiness
- Chest pain
Do not wait to call your care team first.
General information, not medical advice. Follow your care team's instructions.
Questions families ask
Can home health help with oxygen at home?
Yes. Nurses teach you how to use and care for your oxygen safely and check that your oxygen levels are where your doctor wants them. Your oxygen equipment itself comes from a medical equipment supplier.
What if my loved one does not want to use their oxygen?
Tell the nurse. People stop using oxygen for real reasons: the tubing is uncomfortable, the machine is loud, or they feel embarrassed. The nurse can look for fixes, explain why the oxygen matters, and talk with the doctor about the prescription.
Questions about Medicare, homebound status, and costs are on our FAQ page.
Getting started
Home health starts with an order from your doctor. Ask your doctor or hospital discharge planner for Adaptive Home Health, or call us and we will work with your doctor. We serve Texas (Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas) and Colorado (Denver). See the areas and ZIP codes we serve.
Doctors and discharge planners: refer a patient.
Helpful guides
- What to expect from home health care
- What “homebound” means for Medicare home health
- Leaving the hospital: a home health checklist
Other conditions we help with
Joint replacement · Stroke recovery · Wound care · Heart failure