NARRATOR Both observation and interview are used to assess respiratory status. The goal of the assessment is to determine whether shortness of breath interferes with a patient's daily activities.

FLORENCE How're you doing, Mr. Bellinger?

MR. BELLINGER I'm okay.

What are you doing? Let go of me!

MRS. BELLINGER I'm getting you to the living room. She doesn't have all day, you know.

MR. BELLINGER Just leave me be. I can walk on my own.

FLORENCE That's perfectly okay, Mrs. Bellinger. I really only just got here, so I'm not in a rush. And it's probably good if he feels like he can walk without assistance, as long as he doesn't have to breathe too heavily.

MRS. BELLINGER Are you breathing heavily?

MR. BELLINGER Only when I have to walk and talk.

FLORENCE Why don't you and I go sit down?

I'm glad to see Mr. Bellinger doing so well.

MRS. BELLINGER He's doing better, but I'm sorry he waited until you got here to go to the bathroom. That's a big waste of your time.

FLORENCE Oh, no. Actually, I was going to have him do some physical things for me anyhow.

MRS. BELLINGER Physical things? He just got out of the hospital. What do you expect him to be able to do?

FLORENCE Even though he just got up from here to go to the bathroom upstairs, I was able to watch him perform quite a few of the usual, daily things that we often ask people to do so we can see how well they're progressing.

Often, we'll simply ask a person to stand. Or we might ask a patient to walk twenty feet. Especially someone with breathing problems, like your husband.

Climbing some stairs is a good indicator of a person's ability.

We like to see how well the person is able to use the bathroom. Perhaps they are safe alone or they may need some assistance.

Even a simple task, such as combing the hair, can show us how able a person is.

The same is true for putting on a shirt.

And if a person is able to prepare a simple meal, just from watching we can understand a great deal.

We also find it helpful to ask people to do those same activities on specific visits to help us better assess their progress or improvement.

MR. BELLINGER I hope you weren't talking about me while I was gone.

FLORENCE We only said good things. How's the breathing?

MR. BELLINGER That walk up those stairs is why I only have one cup of coffee in the morning these days.

FLORENCE That is quite a trip for you.

MRS. BELLINGER If you're going to have him do activities, get him to vacuum on one of your visits. I haven't seen him do that, even when he had all his breath.

MR. BELLINGER You complain in front of guests, but who made the coffee this morning before you even got out of bed?

FLORENCE Is that right? You made the coffee by yourself this morning?

MR. BELLINGER Of course.

MRS. BELLINGER He only did that because he likes his coffee stronger than I make it.

FLORENCE Well, I think it's great that you were able to do that by yourself. How did it go? Did you have to catch your breath or rest at all while you were making the coffee?

MR. BELLINGER No, not making coffee. I have to rest coming down stairs. I definitely have to rest going upstairs. But making coffee is…well, I make the coffee, because like my wife said, I like it strong. And for some reason or other, my wife doesn't make strong coffee. I know I can only have one cup, just like I said