Are There Houseplants that Can Help a Loved One with COPD?
Senior Care in Staten Island NY
If indoor air quality is a problem for a loved one with COPD, houseplants can be the answer you've been hoping to find. Talk to your loved one's doctor first and research some of these plants for more thorough information.
All Plants Can Help Filter Carbon Dioxide
Plants are wonderful because they can take in carbon dioxide and some other chemicals from the air around them and filter those chemicals out. Then the plants release oxygen back into the air. This makes houseplants a welcome addition to the home for anyone who needs cleaner air to breathe.
Peace Lily
Peace lilies bloom in the spring and they enjoy shady conditions, which make them perfect for growing indoors. These special blooming plants remove formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, ammonia, and benzene from the air, replacing them with healthy oxygen. If your loved one has cats, however, lilies of any kind are toxic to cats.
Devil's Ivy
Devil's ivy is also easy to grow indoors and doesn't take a lot of fuss or frills. Like peace lilies, devil's ivy removes formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene. It also removes benzene and trichloroethylene. Devil's ivy doesn't need a lot of light to flourish, either, making it a great indoor choice.
English Ivy
Another ivy, English ivy, is not as easy to grow indoors mainly because it's a climbing plant. You can make it work, however, if you're willing to put together a topiary or a trellis for the plan to climb. English ivy can remove xylene, toluene, formaldehyde, and benzene.
Boston Fern
Boston ferns are available in just about every grocery store and that's because they're so hardy and easy to grow. They love humidity, but they can cope without it if they have to. Boston ferns help to remove xylene, toluene, and formaldehyde. These make excellent hanging plants if you need to keep pets from digging in the container.
Rubber Plant
Rubber plants do best in bright rooms that get plenty of sun all day long and they don't need much attention. Repotting yearly is a good idea, however, unless you don't want the plant to get bigger than it already is. Rubber plants are best at filtering formaldehyde out of the air.
Houseplants and Pets
It's really important to research plants before you bring them home, especially if your loved one has pets. Some plants are absolutely fine for both cats and dogs, but others can be toxic to one species or to both. For plants that are toxic, either don't bring those home or put them somewhere that the pets will never be able to get to them.If your loved one isn't keen on plants because he doesn't want to take care of them, see about splitting up the plant caretaking duties among you, other family members, and even your loved one's senior care providers. That way he gets the benefits without the headaches.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Staten Island, NY, please call the caring staff at Right at Home of Brooklyn (347) 554-8400.
Author: Walter Ochoa, Owner, Right at Home Brooklyn
Walter Ochoa is the owner and operator of Right at Home, which is located in Brooklyn.Walter graduated from the University of the Valley in Guatemala. He met and married his college sweetheart, Jean, who is American. They moved to Brooklyn, where they currently live with their 2 children. They are very involved in the community.
Walter has worked for some of the top financial service companies holding various positions from Project Management to Compliance Control Specialist. Despite his success, he had always wanted to do something more fulfilling that would give him a greater sense of inner satisfaction. He wanted to assist those who wished to stay in their own homes, but could no longer do it alone, like the elderly and disabled. So when the opportunity arose for him to start his own business, he took it. In 2010, Walter and Jean ventured to open Right at Home of Brooklyn, which services all of New York City.
Walter knows he made the right decision because he saw the need was definitely there. Now Right at Home assists not only the elderly and disabled, but adults of any age that need some assistance or an extra hand to continue living Right at Home.” That conviction, plus his Culture of Care philosophy, makes Right at Home one of the most Care driven Home Care agencies around.
