Vim & Vigor - Winter 2016 - Community Healthcare - 53


WEBSITE

Take a Deep Breath
For more information about pulmonary care at the hospitals of
Community Healthcare System, visit www.comhs.org.

the benefits of medical care through
individualized exercise and education."
Rehabilitation made a tangible difference in Smith's quality of life, she says.
"I was depressed when I was admitted, because I had just moved to a
new home and I wasn't really able to
do anything," Smith says. "Now I have
more energy and absolutely feel better
about myself."
COPD is a severe lung condition in
which patients cannot effectively exhale
carbon dioxide, causing significant
shortness of breath and limiting daily
activities. Factors such as genetic predisposition, environmental exposure
to pollutants and a longtime history of
cigarette smoking increase your risk.

Pulmonology experts and respiratory staff at Community Hospital in
Munster provide specialized care for
COPD patients and those living with
lung disease, including spirometry testing (how well you breathe in and out),
drug therapy, breathing treatments and
pulmonary rehabilitation. These experts
also advocate disease prevention
through low-cost screenings and smoking cessation programs.
Smith enrolled in the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Community Hospital
because it was close to home, the staff
members were knowledgeable and
polite, and the facility was equipped with
top-of-the-line technology needed for
her full recovery.

Community Hospital's Pulmonary
Rehabilitation Program blends physical
exercise with patient-focused counseling
and disease education to help accelerate the healing process of patients with
chronic respiratory illness. Exercises
might include working on a treadmill, NuStep® or stationary bike, using
weights and Thera-Bands, or engaging
in fun activities like chair Zumba.
"The main goal of pulmonary rehab
is to improve our patients' daily quality of life," says Chris Hrabota, regional
director of Respiratory Care. "Our
patients learn how to best manage their
chronic respiratory illness and maximize
their functionality."
"Georgia was the perfect example of
a patient in need of pulmonary rehabilitation," says Respiratory Therapist Sarah
Volk, Community Hospital Pulmonary
Rehabilitation. "At first she was unable
to do more than a few minutes on the
equipment, but she pushed through her
fears and anxiety. When a patient begins
to take ownership of their disease and
understand how they can improve their
life, they flourish."
Smith had success because she was
committed. "I was there three times a
week at 7 a.m. I never missed a day," she
says. "Everyone I came in contact with
was really nice. Even the valet staff knew
me by name. I enjoyed it. I felt alive
when I did it."
After completing rehabilitation,
Smith has continued a healthy lifestyle
through exercise programs offered
at Community Hospital's Fitness
Pointe® in Munster. She says that
her biggest transformation gained
through pulmonary rehabilitation is her
newfound appreciation for life. n

Lynwood resident Georgia Smith is breathing
easier with pulmonary rehabilitation and the
help of respiratory therapy professionals like
Sarah Volk at Community Hospital in Munster.

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http://www.comhs.org
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