Evaluation of the environment of patients is an important function of the primary care physician and assists the caregiver in providing an improved quality of life for one's patients. In addition to data collection and therapy, assessment of both the basic and instrumental activities of daily living is a primary concern, especially in patients with chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This article presents the perspective and observation of a primary care physician's management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and will give examples of how combined pulmonary rehabilitation and medication improved the quality of life for three patients and show how activities of daily living and quality of life may be seen as a continuum in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.