Pulmonary Rehabilitation
What is Pulmonary Rehab?
Pulmonary Rehab is a comprehensive program that includes structured exercise, education and lifestyle coaching to improve the symptoms and quality of life of those living with chronic lung disease.
Outpatient Rehab
The primary goal of outpatient pulmonary rehab is to help you become more active which can help reduce symptoms and slow the progression of chronic lung disease. This program takes place in the therapy gym and includes:
- An exercise assessment to determine the workloads you can handle.
- Development and initiation of your personalized exercise program.
- Monitoring of your symptoms and vital signs during exercise sessions.
- Education, risk factor and lifestyle modification.
Maintenance Program
The staff of the Deaconess Pulmonary Rehab designs a fitness program that fits your lifestyle. The goal is to make exercise an easy part of your daily routine. Once you have completed the supervised program, you can choose to continue exercising in our therapy gym as part of the maintenance program for an additional 12 weeks. This allows you to be more independent in your exercise but with experts close by to answer any questions you may have. After the 12 weeks you should be ready to continue exercising on your own either at home or a community gym.
Team of Experts
Your Pulmonary Rehab program will be guided by a team of experts including Respiratory Therapists, Nurses, and Exercise Specialists. The rehab team will work with you during each session. Every member of our team has pulmonary care training which includes the physical and emotional aspects of caring for people with chronic lung disease. As you progress through the program, you will find that the rehab team provide support and knowledge.
The Pulmonary Rehab team closely monitors your symptoms. Your primary care physician or pulmonologist manages your overall medical needs and is a key member of the rehabilitation team. In fact, all participants in our program are physician referred. We keep your physician informed of your progress and any changes we note in your condition.
Assessments
Your entry into the program begins with a review of your medical records and includes a medical and risk factor evaluation as well as a 6 Minute Walk Test. This evaluation helps us develop your personalized plan of care and exercise program.
You will receive another evaluation at the end of the program. The exit evaluation covers your progress from start to finish. Your home exercise program will be discussed throughout the duration of your program and upon your exit evaluation to make sure exercise remains part of your daily lifestyle.
Structured Exercise
We tailor your exercise program to meet your cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) needs. Your exercise prescription is based upon your exercise assessment and medical evaluation during your initial visit. It’s an individual program designed just for you!
Education
We offer a variety of educational information on risk factor and lifestyle modification. We will discuss several topics during group exercise and one-on-one sessions throughout your program. Some of our topics include:
- Learning About Your Lungs
- Pulmonary Medications
- Inhaler Education
- Breathing Retraining
- Energy Conservation
- Tobacco Cessation
- Healthy Eating
- Reducing Risk of Infection
- Oxygen Therapy
- Coping with COPD
- COPD Action Plan
- Your Mental Health
Family Support
Family support is an important part of your rehab process. Family members are encouraged to attend conferences and the education classes.
Financial Arrangements
The financial aspect of Pulmonary Rehab is discussed with you prior to starting the program. Most insurance companies provide coverage. Medicare approves pulmonary rehab up to a lifetime limit of 72 visits and a majority of the costs are covered by third-party payers. Our staff will work with you at any time to determine your Medicare and/or other insurance coverage.