Navigating COPD
Pulmonary Rehabilitation at UHN’s West Park Healthcare Centre
West Park Healthcare Centre delivers Canada’s largest respiratory rehabilitation program to help people living with COPD breathe better and improve their quality of life. Dr. Roger Goldstein, Head of Respiratory Medicine at West Park, is a global leader in pulmonary rehabilitation and the management of chronic respiratory diseases. Under his leadership, West Park is among the top three pulmonary rehabilitation research centres in the world, with a global impact on treatment.
Learn more about West Park’s leading respiratory rehabilitation programs.
Read our stories:
Integrating mental health support into respiratory rehabilitation
How the COVID-19 pandemic led to program innovations
West Park leads Ontario’s Long-Term Ventilation Strategy
Helping people in Northwest Toronto breathe easier
How West Park helped Kim learn how to breathe again
What is COPD?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the world and one of Canada’s fastest growing health threats. More than two million Canadians are living with COPD.
COPD is an umbrella term that describes progressive lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Frequent lung infections
- Wheezing
- Losing weight without trying
- Depression
The number one cause of COPD is exposure to cigarette smoke or other irritating gases or particulate matter.
How is COPD treated?
There is no cure for COPD but rehabilitation can help slow its progress, improve function and enhance quality of life.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of exercise, education and support that helps patients learn how to manage their condition and function at the highest level possible. It teaches people with COPD:
- Breathing techniques that help you get the most out of each breath
- How to exercise safely
- How to conserve energy in day-to-day activities
- About nutrition
- About medications that can help
- Coping strategies
- When to seek help
An effective rehabilitation program helps patients increase their exercise capacity, mobility and quality of life so they can do more, stay out of hospital and enjoy life.
Where can I learn more about managing COPD?
West Park Healthcare Centre professionals have created a series of short educational videos to help COPD patients manage and improve their condition. Topics include:
- Breathing Exercises
- Controlled Breathing
- Controlled Cough
- Energy Conservation
- Anxiety and Depression
- Nutrition
- Travelling with Oxygen
You can find them – and others – on our patient education page.
Additional Resources
Learn more about healthy lungs and preventing COPD at Canada.ca.
Find the pulmonary rehabilitation program nearest you at the Canadian Pulmonary Rehabilitation Portal.
