Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary Rehabilitation at Eisenhower Health is a supervised program that includes exercise training, health education and breathing techniques for people with a chronic respiratory disease. Our inter-professional team of registered nurses, respiratory therapists, exercise physiologists and dietitians provide an individualized plan of care to offer a progressive program to meet the individual needs.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive program of education and exercise to help you manage your breathlessness and increase your energy level. The educational part of the program teaches you how to be in charge of your breathing instead of your breathing being in charge of you! You will learn how to pace your breathing with your activities. Additional educational classes provide support with medications, oxygen therapy, infection prevention, traveling with a lung disease, nutrition and lung health, develop methods of coping and management of the stress with a chronic lung disease.
You will participate two to three days per week for two one- hour sessions. Your program may last 4-12 weeks based upon the individual plan of care. The exercises start at a level you can handle. The amount of time you exercise is increased in time and the level of difficulty changes based on your ability. Our program staff are constantly monitoring your progress and increasing your exercises as you are able. Attendance at every session is important.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a standard of care to increase your exercise tolerance, decrease your work of breathing, decrease exacerbations and hospitalizations, decrease feelings of isolation and depression, and Improve your quality of life.
All pulmonary rehabilitation participation requires a referral from a physician actively involved in your healthcare. The program medical director reviews monthly your individual treatment plan per CMS standards. Pulmonary rehabilitation is never really over! Upon completion of your program, continuation of exercise is vital to maintain optimal health and well-being. The Renker Wellness Center provides an Adult Fitness program to promote continued wellness.
Inquiries regarding referrals or insurance concerns, call our referral coordinator at 760-773-2063. You may also speak with a nurse or respiratory therapist at 760-773-2031.
Support Groups
Our support groups meet at Eisenhower Renker Wellness Center.
- Better Breathers Support Group - lung.org
Group meets the third Wednesday of Oct. to May months from noon to 1 p.m.
- Pulmonary Fibrosis - pulmonaryfibrosis.org
Group meets the second Tuesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m.
Online Resources
- American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab - aacvpr.org
- COPD Foundation - - copdfoundation.org
- Smoking Cessation - cardiosmart.org
