Hanover Hospital Celebrates National Pulmonary Rehab Week March 16-22

On March 16th Hanover Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department kicks off National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week.  Pulmonary Rehab helps individuals with lung disease to achieve a better quality of life.  This year’s theme:  “Pulmonary Rehabilitation:  Inspiration, Respiration & Perspiration” highlights the main objectives of Hanover’s program. 

Many individuals diagnosed with chronic lung conditions such as COPD, [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, or asthma, often feel overwhelmed and frustrated.  They understand that exercise is the way to better health, yet with their diagnosis, they feel helpless and cannot imagine how they could possibly exercise when simple day-to-day activities leave them struggling for breath. 

According to Ann Newman, RRT,  RPSGT, Pulmonary Rehab Coordinator, “Exercise is important for everyone, especially those de-conditioned due to their lung disease.  Pulmonary Rehab involves simple, low-impact aerobic exercises.”  She explained that participants self-direct their progress, only advancing when they are prepared.  “Every patient is continuously monitored to evaluate oxygen status, heart rate, blood pressure and level of shortness of breath or ‘dyspnea’.”  Supplemental oxygen use does not exclude a person from participating.  In fact, some participants find that their oxygen needs are decreased after completing the eight-week exercise and education program. 

The educational component helps the patient better understand their lung disease and their medications, such as why they work and how to take them.  Stress management, self esteem and nutrition education help to round out the program and provides the patient with the tools to effectively self-manage their lung disease.  “We teach better ways to go about the activities of daily life to significantly reduce the shortness of breath that previously limited our patients,” said Newman.  “We try to help improve the patient’s quality of life.  Pulmonary Rehab has become a standard of care for many of the 12 million Americans who must control their COPD symptoms.” 

Hanover Hospital has offered Pulmonary Rehabilitation since 1985.   Clinical outcomes following the most recent survey indicate participants all reported a 19% decrease in symptoms of shortness of breath, with an 88% increase in exercise time.  Based on a post-program questionnaire, participants reported a 40% increase in Quality of life scores. 

“Many physicians are also aware of the studies that show that Pulmonary Rehab has dramatically reduced the number of hospital admissions for COPD patients,” Newman notes.  Most insurances offer some level of coverage, and Medicare covers approximately 80% of the cost.

For more information about Pulmonary Rehab, talk to your physician or contact the Pulmonary Rehab Department at (717) 633-2159.