• At the start of the program, a healthcare professional will assess you and talk to you about the program.

• They will use the assessments to design an exercise program personalised for you and help you decide on a goal to aim for that’s personal to you.

• At the end of the program, you will be assessed again, to measure any improvement.

• The group exercise sessions consist of supervised exercise twice a week for 6 weeks.

• Home PR is a 6 week course with independent exercise, weekly telephone calls and 3 home visits.

• With both programmes you will start off slowly and progress as you are able.

• Exercises are designed to be functional and may include:

• Walking and cycling on an exercise bike.

• Strengthening exercises for the legs and arms.

• Flexibility and balance exercises.

The education sessions are run by a Respiratory multi disciplinary team including nurses, physiotherapists and assistant psychologists and include:

• Information on how your lungs work
• How different types of respiratory disease affect the lungs
• Using inhalers and taking other respiratory medications
• Managing breathlessness
• Healthy eating, managing stress and anxiety, how to keep your chest clear and many more!

Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the best things you can do to improve your breathing and wellbeing and is an evidence based core treatment for chronic lung disease.

PR can also reduces the frequency of exacerbations (flare-ups) and helps you stay well and out of hospital. Other benefits include:

Face to face classes take place at the following easily accessible locations:

The longer sessions include the 60 minute education session.

A six week course is available at home for those unable to attend the face-to-face classes.

This course is designed for those that have no transport or work. Although this course is effective, it is not as effective as the group classes.

With the home programme we will support you a face to face assessment, weekly telephone calls and a home visit at three weeks and at six weeks from one of our physiotherapy assistants.

At your finisher assessment you will be given information about how to keep progressing and maintain the benefits you have gained through PR. This could be through our maintenance classes, a gym referral or a personalised home exercise programme.

You will also be given information on local support groups for people living with lung disease.