At Cottage Hospital, Respiratory Care Services provides 24-hour care to inpatients and outpatients of all ages. Services include breathing treatments, chest physical therapy, oxygen therapy, pulmonary function testing, and mechanical ventilation (life support).
Pulmonary Rehab Program
Over 21 million people living in the United States suffer from chronic lung disease. Smoking is responsible for one in five deaths and 87% of all lung cancer cases.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program specially designed for people who have a lung disease. These include:
- Emphysema
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Interstitial Lung Disease
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
COPD- is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Sixteen million people live with COPD.
People who suffer from chronic lung disease also suffer from:
- Weakness
- Shortness of Breath
- Exhaustion
These symptoms may restrict the activities of a person who has a chronic lung disease making it difficult to live a normal life which may lead to depression.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is designed to help people improve strength, endurance, and quality of life and get back to living life again. This is made possible through:
- Increasing exercise tolerance
- Decreasing shortness of breath
- Increasing daily activities
- Increasing self-confidence
- Decreasing hospitalizations
Pulmonary rehabilitation uses a multi-disciplinary approach that includes physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses, exercise specialists and ancillary staff who are available for specific needs the patient may need addressed. This multi-disciplinary approach provides care specialized to each individual's needs.
Pulmonary rehabilitation offers three phases to its program:
Phase I - Targets inpatients. Education and therapy are provided to increase strength and knowledge.
Phase II - Targets outpatients. Sessions are three times per week. In addition, an educational topic will be discussed prior to exercise once per week. Topics included but not limited to are as follows:
- Anatomy of the lungs
- Lung Disease
- Management of lung disease
- Breathing techniques
- Meter dose inhalers and small volume nebulizers
- Nutrition
- Oxygen therapy
- Medications
- End of life issues
Physicians are kept informed of patient's progress during the program.
Phase III - Targets outpatients who have completed Phase II and want to maintain their strength and endurance.
Each session of pulmonary rehabilitation includes:
- Assessment of oxygen level
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Breath sounds
Warm up exercises and breathing techniques are done prior to exercising. Every individual will exercise according to their specific exercise prescription.
If you are interested in the program, discuss it with your physician. A physician order is required for the program. To learn more about the pulmonary rehabilitation program, please call 309-345-4431.