ALMH offers new
pulmonary rehab program

[SEPT. 15, 2000]  Everett Kennett of Lawndale suffers from emphysema. Thanks to the new pulmonary rehabilitation program at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital (ALMH), Everett’s life just got easier. Everett joined the pulmonary rehab program to increase his stamina with activities. "I wanted to be able to go hunting this fall without being short of breath," he said. Everett feels he will meet that goal. Everett stated that when he first started pulmonary rehab, he was very apprehensive about working on the treadmill; now it is his favorite thing to do.

 

The pulmonary rehabilitation program has been implemented at ALMH to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from chronic lung problems such as emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis and other lung-related diseases.

"It’s a program that is really needed here," states Sharon Koester, RT, program coordinator. "Until now," says Koester, "patients who had chronic lung problems have had to go out of the area to get pulmonary rehabilitation."

Dr. Dru Hauter, medical director of the pulmonary rehabilitation program, provides consultative services for program, which is modeled after the program at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. According to Hauter, "Pulmonary rehab tends to increase the activity levels of patients while reducing their symptoms of shortness of breath. Our participants are setting personal goals that allow them to enjoy their lives more. It could be that pulmonary rehab may help them get out of the house more to shop, go out for dinner or to even hunt in the woods."

 

"All participants are referred to the program by their primary care physician or specialist," states Koester. The most unique aspect of the program is that it is individualized to meet each patient’s needs. "We specialize the program for each person," says Koester, " because we believe that each person has a goal that they wish to achieve."

In addition to the individualized curriculum, participants are offered the opportunity to meet others in the program. According to Koester, "Patients enjoy hearing others’ stories. They see they are not alone with their problems. It creates a camaraderie and assists in keeping them on track to a healthier lifestyle."

 

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Koester begins the program with three educational sessions. Education is essential to ensuring lifestyle changes which are needed to increase endurance and improve the health of these patients. In the education sessions, patients receive materials on exercising and self care.

Safe exercise workouts begin with the fourth session. The exercise sessions are conducted in ALMH’s state-of-the art rehabilitation department, conveniently located on the first floor of the hospital. Patients are monitored on the heart monitor for the first month by a cardiac rehab nurse to ensure they have no cardiac problems while they are exercising.

 

The length of the program depends on each individual’s needs. The patients are given a discharge exercise plan when they decide to discontinue the program, as well as a list of what levels they have achieved on the exercise equipment. Also included is an exercise log for patients to use to record daily exercise goals. The log can be taken to their physician’s office during checkups.

For more information about the pulmonary rehabilitation program at ALMH, contact Sharon Koester, RT, at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 418.

 

Lincoln Ag Center
1441 State Route 10 East
Lincoln, IL
217-732-7948

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