Living well with a chronic respiratory disease

[Extract] 

Many patients we see as respiratory clinicians have a chronic respiratory condition and will therefore require long-term treatment and healthcare support with the main goal of care focusing on reducing symptoms and improving quality of life.

The burden of disease and treatment of chronic respiratory conditions disrupts patients' structures of everyday life and imposes limitations on activities [1]. Patients can achieve well-being in these circumstances by accepting their limitations and adjusting to them, replacing former activities with new meaningful activities they can enjoy and by taking advantage of good days and emotionally adapting to bad 
days [2]. Self-capacity, trustful care with continuous care relationships, and access to medications have also been identified as essential to well-being