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The Nicholas Quadrel Healthy Heart Center for Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a program to help you breathe easier.
There is no worse feeling than being short of breath. The pulmonary rehabilitation program at Robert Wood Rahway seeks to slow down and minimize progression of the debilitating symptoms of lung disease by combining exercise with education, breathing retraining and nutritional counseling. Individualized programs can be set up for patients of all ages who suffer from any of a variety of lung disorders, such as: COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema or fibrosis and others as well as for lung transplant and lung reduction candidates.
The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program seeks to:
- Reduce patient's shortness of breath and the anxiety it brings
- Increase exercise tolerance and ability to perform normal daily activities
- Increase patients' understanding of their particular lung disorder
- Educate patients on the proper use of respiratory medications
- Teach patients to master proper use of respiratory medications
- Teach patients to master proper breathing techniques
- Reduce the possibility of hospitalizations
- Instruct and motivate patients to start and maintain a home exercise program
- Promote self-reliance and independence
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN PULMONARY REHABILITATION
The program is designed for patients with pulmonary diseases, such as emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis…
Whose shortness of breath compromises their lifestyle
Who want to learn more about their disease
Who want to learn ways to improve their breathing
Who want to increase their exercise endurance
Through breathing retraining, regular exercise, proper nutrition, and respiratory treatments you can dramatically improve your breathing ability.
Overview of Services
Each patient's program begins with a comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team led by a physician specializing in pulmonary medicine and including clinical experts in respiratory therapy, physical therapy, and nutrition. Through a carefully planned, integrated and individualized program of supervised physical conditioning, exercise, and education, physical capacity is increased and the patient is taught to cope with the special problems of lung disorders.
Outcomes expected at the completion of the program are:
- Enhanced quality of life
- Reduced number of hospitalizations
- Decreased respiratory symptoms and complications
- Improved physical conditioning
- Better self-management of a patient's disease and increased control of daily functioning
- Improved emotional well-being
Physical Conditioning
People with pulmonary disease often limit physical activity because they are frightened they will become short of breath, but lack of activity reduces muscle strength and causes further weakness.
The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital includes exercises and activities that help increase physical capacity and regain control of breathing. By combining exercise with other services patients improve their abilities to carry out activities of daily living with more energy and less difficulty. The usual schedule is three sessions per week for eight weeks.
Education
Patients are taught:
- Pulmonary disease and its management
- Self-care
- Efficient use of breathing capacity
- Energy conservation
- Additional strategies to avoid breathlessness
Nutrition Counseling
Shortness of breath can hinder the ability to eat a proper diet. The type of foods and especially the amount eaten can contribute to increased shortness of breath. Individual consultation with a registered dietitian assists patients with specific problems attributed to lung disease and promotes good eating habits and better health.
How to Enroll
Have your physician contact the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department at (732) 499-6190
- We appreciate as much information from your doctor as possible,
such as…
- Diagnosis
- History of present illness
- Synopsis of the past medical history
- Latest complete PFT
- CXR
- Lab results (including ABGs)
- Current medications
Physicians should consider pulmonary rehabilitation for their patients if any of the following are present:
- Recent exacerbation and hospitalization
- Increased hospitalizations, ED visits, office visits/calls
- Oxygen desaturation or diminished PFTs
- Use of supplemental oxygen
- Decrease in physical activity
- Complaints of dyspnea
- Disease is affecting the quality of life
For more information call (732) 499-6190
Fax (732) 499-6181
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