Caregiver: sorry but I have no alternatives for you. In the many sites and information I gathered last year when my mom struggled through this, there was lots of ideas but none seem to be any better than the masses of prednisone which, as you say, is just about as bad as the disease. But without them the disease will become even more progressive if that seems possible.
Some things you do want to watch is that he eats well, but never too much at one time. When you eat a lot at one time all the blood rushes to your tummy to digest and makes the person more tired and in the case of this disease makes them feel more breathless and tired as well. Keep check on his sugar levels as prednisone plays real havoc with that (my mom was diabetic which made it worse yet)
Good luck and God Bless.
| 
UIP and treatment 
