Living With Chronic Lung Disease: An Occupational Perspective

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents significant challenges to a person's ability to carry out functional tasks and participate in social networks. Within the occupational science literature, such factors are widely recognised as contributing to a person's sense of self identity, health and well-being. This article presents an occupational perspective on how people live with this transient and progressive condition. Nine participants aged 62 years and over with chronic lung disease were recruited from a pulmonary rehabilitation programme to participate in a qualitative study using grounded theory methods. Results indicate that people with COPD experience many changes and losses in occupational engagement and performance. They are required to make choices about occupations they engage in, and how they perform such occupations, sometimes needing to make adaptations to enable performance. They may also need to re-evaluate their expectations, deal with frustrations and losses, and come to terms with such changes. Some factors are considered which may affect how people make changes in their lives, taking into account the progressive nature of the disease. Further theoretical and longitudinal research is recommended.