Living with COPD at Home

Reviewed by Hollis Pruett, RN · Updated April 3, 2026

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, narrows the airways and makes it hard to move air out of the lungs. It does not go away, but how someone with COPD feels day to day depends a great deal on things that can be practiced at home.

Inhaler technique is the first thing our nurses check, because most people use at least one inhaler incorrectly. A metered-dose inhaler works far better with a spacer; a dry-powder inhaler needs a fast, deep breath instead of a slow one. Bring every inhaler to the first visit, including the ones you stopped using.

Pursed-lip breathing, in through the nose and out slowly through lips shaped as if to whistle, helps empty the lungs and calms the panic that comes with breathlessness. Our therapists also teach energy conservation: sitting to shower and dress, keeping things used every day between waist and shoulder height, and planning the hardest tasks for the time of day you breathe best.

Every patient on our pulmonary program leaves the first week with a written flare plan from their physician: which medicines to start, at what point to call, and when to go to the emergency room. Home oxygen users also get a safety check, because oxygen and open flames, including candles and gas stoves, do not mix.