This page has been designed with patients and their family members in mind. I have added resource links that will help you and your family learn about your particular lung disease; how to care for yourself with nutrition, exercise, medications and oxygen, so that you may have the best possible quality oflife for as long as possible. Those of you who are trying so hard to quit smoking will also find links to websites related to smoking cessation. I hope these links will be helpful to all who visit Love Your Lungs, Breathe For Life.
A Better Breathers Club is a support group that offers community-based learning opportunities for those with respiratory disease, their families, and caregivers.
Better Breathers is actually a social gathering of people interested in understanding and living on a daily basis with chronic lung disease.
Area professionals speak on topics related to lung disease such as; medications, treatments, therapies, etc.
Some of the goals of these Better Breather Clubs include:
To help reduce inpatient hospitalization stays and emergency room visits.
To provide education and skills needed to achieve the best quality of life given the severity of the disease.
To teach members and their families the basics of pulmonary self-care, including coping skills.
To introduce new concepts in the care and treatment of COPD.
To provide an opportunity for members to share ideas, experiences and solutions to common problems.
The main goal is to provide what is needed most by these people… a place to feel safe and secure and to openly speak with others struggling with the same type of disease to help them improve their lives. Meetings are usually free, and are always enlightening and fun! Members socialize over refreshments. Special parties and luncheons are occasionally scheduled for area clubs.
These people know how difficult, anxious and frightening it can be to find out you have lung disease; they have successfully gone down the same road and are now enjoying life to the fullest! Better Breathers Clubs are groups of wonderful people. They all want the same things from life, to help, learn and live with lung disease. There is no need to go through this experience alone… Check with your local hospitals or American Lung Association for Better Breathers Clubs in your area.
Better Breathers' Club of Holland Holland Hospital 602 Michigan Ave. Holland, Michigan 49423 Contact: Christina Fuglseth (616) 394-3175
Better Breathers and Friends of Hattiesburg, Mississippi Health Care Connection 5909 Highway 49 South, Cloverleaf Plaza Hattiesburg, Mississippi Contact: Connie Hauk, Forrest General Hospital chauk@forrestgeneral.com (601) 288-1950 Meeting time: 3rd Wednesday of each month, 12:00pm Better Breather Program
American Lung Association of Mississippi Office 731 Pear Orchard Road, Suite 18 Ridgeland Jackson, Mississippi 39157 Contact: Amy Ellis, American Lung Association of Mississippi aellis@alams.org (601) 206-5810 or toll free 1-800-586-4872 Meeting time: 1st Tuesday each month, 11:30am free lunch provided
Minnesota PH Support Group Pulmonary Hypertension Association Roseville Public Library Meeting Room 2180 North Hamline Ave. Roseville, Minnesota 55113 Contact: Stephanie Layer, PH Support Group Leader (651) 738-0681 Meeting time: Monthly, on Saturday, 1pm - 3pm www.phassociation.org
The Lung Rangers, Barlow Respiratory Hospital 2000 Stadium Way Los Angeles, California Contact: Meg Hassenpflug mhassenpflug@barlow2000.org 250-4200 ext 3153
Better Breathers Club Northeast Medical Center Cannon Heart Center Kitchen classroom 301 Medical Park Dr. Concord, North Carolina 28025 Contact: Pam Rostonski, RT prostonski@northeastmedical.org (800) 575-1275 Meeting time: 2nd Thursday of each month, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Better Breather's Club & Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program Warren Hospital 185 Roseberry Street Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 Pulmonary Function Lab (908) 859-8716 fax - (908) 859-8953 pager - (908) 859-9153
Better Breathers Clubs Big Bend Region American Lung Association of Florida, Inc. Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center 33 Michael Drive Third Wednesday of each month 1:00pm to 2:00pm Next meetings: June 20, July 11,August 15 1 800 LUNG USA www.wakulla.com
Support with Integrity, Thought, Care & Humility S.W.I.T.C.H. - 3262 8095 Prince Charles Hospital - 3265-2793 People Out of Puff - 3883-7300 Airways Support Group - 5433-8300 Contact: David Hendriksen daveross@iprimus.com.au www.switchcopd.com
Better Breathers Club Northeast Medical Center 701 Memorial Drive Concord, NC 28027 Contact: Pamela Rostonski prostonski@northeastmedical.org Schedule: 2nd Thursday Sept - June 3-4pm Kitchen Classroom Contact: Ask First 1-800-575-1275
Anderson Better Breathers Club American Lung Association of Indiana Support Group for Adults suffering from chronic lung disease Share experiences, knowledge, ideas and strengths Community Hospital Anderson's Education Center 1923 N. Madison Ave. Fourth Wednesday of each month at 2:00 P.M. Contact: Dawana Felty 298-5178 www.communityanderson.com
American Lung Association Skyline And Encanto Better Breathers Club Managing COPD - Got Asthma? Obtain helpful information about coping with lung diseases. Meet new friends who are living with (COPD). Meetings : Every 3rd Tuesday 1-3 pm George Stevens Senior Resource Center 570 S. 65th Street (off Skyline Drive) San Diego, CA 92114 Contact: Edith Williamson (A community leader in lung disease information and education) (619) 479-5908 gean723@cox.net
Better Breathers Club St. Luke's Hospital 5901 Moclova Road Maumee, Ohio 43537-1899 Contact: Diane Leck diane.leck@stlukeshospital.com (419) 897-8449
Better Breathers Club HeartPath/Inspire Pulmonary Rehabilitation 5 Vanderbilt Pl. Asheville, North Carolina 28801 (828) 285-0239 Meeting time: 4th Monday (March - Nov) 12:00pm - 1:30pm (lunch is served)
Better Breathers Club Park Ridge Pulmonary Rehabilitation 50 Doctors Dr. Fletcher, North Carolina 28732 (828) 285-0239 Meeting time: 3rd Monday, 11:30am - 1:00pm (lunch is served)
Better Breathers Club Harris Hospital Community Education Room, 1st Floor 68 Hospital Rd. Sylva, North Carolina 28779 (828) 285-0239 Meeting time: 3rd Tuesday, 11:00am - 12:30pm (lunch is served)
Mercy's COPD Support Group - Moose Lake Mercy Hospital & Health Care Center 710 S. Kenwood Ave. Moose Lake, Minnesota 55767 (218) 485-5677 Meeting time: 3rd Wed. of each month from 2:00pm - 3:30pm, (potlucks, guest speakers, snacks and coffee)
Support Group - The Breath Savers Newsletter - "Our Daily Breath" Published by: Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Citrus Valley Medical Center - Inter Community Campus Covina, California Contact: Nancy Anderson nanderson@mail.cvhp.org
COPD Support Group Meeting West County Hotel Chapelizod, Dublin Tuesday 1, May 2007 3:00pm - 5:00pm Come along for a cup of tea & a chat. Meet others with COPD and their families. Buses 25, 25A, 26, 66, 67 The meeting will be open to anyone who has COPD and will be informal. This will be an ideal opportunity for people with COPD and their families to discuss ways of making people more aware of COPD and how to cope with this debilitating disease. michael@copdsupport.ie Tel. # - 071 9143172 www.copdsupport.ie/ Respiratory Assessment Unit, St James Hospital Tel. # - 01 4103763 copd@stjames.ie
Asthma/Emphysema Self Help Group We are a group designed to assist adult patients and caregivers in the management of all categories of respiratory problems. We also have several meetings a year in New York, NY. To join our e-mail list or for additional information, please e-mail
Better Breathing Buddies Regal Medical 5020 Richmond Road Warsaw, VA. 22572 (804) 333-4646 The first meeting will be held on June 18, 2008 from 6:00pm - 8pm, refreshments will be served. The group will educate patients, families and friends about COPD and other respiratory problems, also giving them a chance to interact with other patients getting a better understanding of their disease. Guest speakers such as Respiratory Therapists, Pulmonologists, Primary Care Doctors, Home Health Agencies, etc will be invited to attend the meetings. Print outs of respiratory problems will be available.
What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation?
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program ordered by the patient's physician, to benefit people with chronic lung conditions (such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis) by improving their "quality of life". It is designed to improve stamina, increase strength, enhance activities of daily living and bring back the ability to function independently. A team of pulmonary therapists along with a medical director are first involved in the assessment of the patients capabilities. When the therapy begins there is patient training, exercise and education; on-going communication is a requirement with each patient's physician. The initial assessment of the patient should establish their willingness to participate in the rehabilitation program. Without this willingness, successful completion of the program would be unlikely.
The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation are improved sleep and rest, corrective breathing, improved exercise motivation skills, increased knowledge of lung disease, and how to best manage daily activities. Patients participating in pulmonary rehabilitation programs result in fewer hospital visits with shorter stays if a visit is necessary.
There are several places where the therapy may take place:
The inpatient setting, including medical center, skilled nursing facility, or rehabilitation hospital.
The outpatient setting, including hospital-based clinic, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility (CORF), physician's office, alternate or extended care facility or the patient's home.
If your physician has not set you up in a pulmonary rehabilitation program and you are on oxygen or feel that you are losing your "quality of life", speak to him about your concerns, ask questions and be assertive. You are the one living with this debilitating disease... you must take care of your body and your life.
St. Luke's Lee Summit 100 NE St. Luke's Blvd. Lee Summit, MO Contact: Vickie Klein Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center - St. Luke's East vjklein@saint-lukes.org (816) 863-7533
Tobacco Treatment Center St. Luke's Hospital 6005 Monclova Road, Suite 130 Maumee, OH 43537 Contact: Debbie Matthews, BA, RCP, CTTS Supervisor debra.matthews@stlukeshospital.com (419) 893-QUIT (7848) FAX: (419) 897-8343