Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Shortness of breath, a symptom of lung disease, can be an unpleasant and troubling sensation.  In fact, to prevent it, people often avoid physical activity, leading to a further reduction in their overall health.  The Pulmonary Rehabilitation program at Delnor is a medical-supervised exercise program that helps you overcome this debilitating cycle by restoring you to the highest possible level of functional capacity.

Program Benefits

• Improved ability to perform physical activities
• Higher level of independence
• Lower anxiety levels
• Improved quality of life

The program benefits those who have been diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe chronic lung disease, including:

• Emphysema
• Chronic bronchitis
• Asthma
• Bronchiectasis
• Pulmonary fibrosis

While your actual lung function will not improve through pulmonary rehab, you can accomplish a general cardiovascular and muscular reconditioning that will greatly improve your ability to perform daily activities.

Program Components

Each pulmonary rehab session lasts approximately one hour and consists of exercise and education.  During exercise, our staff will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation.  Exercise will consist of bicycle riding, treadmill walking, rowing, recumbent stepping and upper arm work.

All activities are supervised by respiratory therapists, registered nurses and exercise physiologists who are certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in advanced cardiac life support.  The program is directed by a staff physician who specializes in pulmonary disease.

Education Series

A variety of topics will be covered during your rehab depending on your individual needs.  They can include:

• Anatomy and physiology of the lung and body in general
• Nutrition
• Relaxation
• Medications
• Oxygen equipment
• Chest physical therapy
• Infection prevention

Accessing the Service

You must have a written prescription from your physician to enter pulmonary rehab.  In addition, you must undergo the following  before entering the program:

Once you have a physician referral for the program, call us at (630) 208-4084 to set up an orientation appointment.