Morris Hospital Offers Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary Rehabilitation can be a life-changer for patients with chronic or genetic lung disease, or for those recovering from lung cancer surgery. If you or a loved one are suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), bronchitis, emphysema, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis, or asthma, or any other condition that affects your lungs, ask your primary care physician if Pulmonary Rehabilitation would benefit you; a referral is necessary to enter the program.
“Our goal is to help increase the functional capacity for our patients with lung disease,” said Virginia Landers, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist with Morris Hospital. “Our rehabilitation program is tailored specifically for each patient, depending on their condition.” Landers has been a Respiratory Therapist for the past 35 years, spending the last 18 at Morris Hospital. She specializes in pulmonary rehab and pulmonary function testing.
“Our program offers three components for each patient, including aerobic and resistance exercise training and education,” added Landers. “The patient undergoes an in-depth evaluation at the start, so a program can be designed just for them. The aerobic exercises increase stamina, strengthen the heart, and improve the cardiovascular system. We mainly utilize stationary bikes, treadmills, and stepper machines.”
Resistance training improves strength, flexibility, and range of motion; patients train with balance exercises, hand weights, and stretch bands.
Education is the third component of the program. “We offer 30-minute classes every Tuesday that covers relevant topics for lung disease patients,” said Landers. “They learn about energy conservation, breathing retraining, and the importance of medications and proper diet.”
Landers and the rest of the staff also encourage patients to bring a loved one with them so they have help managing their disease.
“Our program is wonderful in how it helps improve a patient’s mood,” explained Landers. “Many patients have high degrees of isolation and depression. Rehab offers social interaction, reducing anxiety and depression levels.”
For more information, please contact:
Diagnostic & Rehabilitative Center of Morris Hospital
100 W. Gore Road
Morris, IL 60450
Phone: (815) 705-7837
Website: morrishospital.org/services/pulmonary-rehabilitation/
