Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation services for people with chronic disease.
Regular moderate-intensity exercise can improve physical health and quality of life and can decrease hospitalisation for people with chronic disease. Often it is difficult for people with health conditions in rural areas to find appropriately customised exercise programs they feel safe to participate in.
Pulmonary (Respiratory) and Cardiac Rehabilitation is a FREE eight-week education and exercise rehabilitation program that is best practice for people with heart and lung conditions, especially within four weeks of discharge from hospital.
After rehabilitation, people can continue to exercise through free classes via Lungs in Action.
Murundhu I Live, I Breathe: Griffith and Wagga Wagga
Through the co-design of ‘Living Well, Your Way’, local Aboriginal people expressed that a ‘mainstream’ rehabilitation program may not best meet their needs. In partnership with Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service and MLHD, Murundhu – I live, I breath – pulmonary and heart failure rehabilitation was created to deliver culturally safe spaces to exercise and education through clinical yarning and storytelling.
Striving for a cultural approach to learning, yarning circles are ‘with’ and ‘led’ by the participants avoiding a traditional western didactive presentation which is typically delivered ‘to' participants. From the outset this approach has been extremely successful in encouraging engagement, discussion, and promoting interest in health literacy.
Upon completion of the program participants will be linked with community exercise program options such as Aunty Jean’s (local generalised chronic health support group for aboriginal populations) for ongoing maintenance and provided a home exercise program.
Participant Feedback
“More people need to do this - it is so good for the body and the mind.”
“I love yarning with my mob - we learn so much with each other.”
Team Feedback
“The transformation in the group is amazing.”
“The social and cultural connection is so powerful.”