If your aging parent suffers from asthma, this can mean that they breathe faster than the average person and that they are more likely to breathe through their mouths. Breathing through the mouth can come with consequences such as exposing the lungs to cool, dry air as well as triggering asthma attacks. To help your aging parent control their breathing rate and promote overall wellbeing, below are some breathing exercises for asthma they can try out.
Breathing Through Pursed Lips
This breathing exercise can be done during an asthma attack to help slow down the rate of breathing, promoting a normal breathing rate. With this technique, your loved ones will breathe through their nose and exhale through pursed lips as if they are about to whistle. Keep in mind that exhalations should be twice as long as inhalations, and breathing should take place from the belly, not the chest.
Diaphragm Breathing
Diaphragm breathing is also known as belly breathing, and this breathing exercise is designed to maximize the circulation of air throughout the lungs. Your loved one can either be in a seated or lying down position to do this exercise. Both inhalation and exhalation should take place through the nose, and the abdomen should extend inwards and outwards instead of the chest.
Papworth Technique
The Papworth technique is similar to diaphragm breathing in that the focus is on the abdomen instead of the chest. However, it takes things one step further by requiring your loved one to adjust the depth and rate of their breathing to what they are currently doing. For instance, if they are sedentary, breathing will take place at a slower rate and if they are walking, it will be at a higher rate. The focus is on remembering to breathe gently.
Progressive Relaxation
This technique aims to help your loved one relax the muscles throughout their body. In a comfortable position, your loved one should inhale and exhale through their nose, keeping their diaphragm engaged. From here, tighten the muscles of one foot, relax for a few seconds, then repeat with the other foot. Continue with different muscles throughout the body in an upward direction until all the muscles have been engaged and relaxed.
Assisted Living at Discovery Village At Stuart Has the Wellness Services You Need
If you are finding it hard to engage in suitable care for your loved one while aging in place, have you considered a senior assisted living community? At Discovery Village At Stuart, our residents can benefit from the health & wellness services they require, including onsite medical and therapy services, medication management, personal care assistance, and so much more. You can rest assured that your loved one’s needs will be well taken care of, regardless of the medical or health condition(s) they are living with. To this end, we always take the time to develop a customized care plan for each of our residents when they first move in with us.
