Lung Health 2023 by Mediaplanet Canada

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LungHealth

Your Easy Guide to Keeping Your Vaccinations Against Respiratory Infections Up to Date

Getting your recommended vaccines — including for COVID-19, flu, pneumonia, and RSV — is an important part of safeguarding your health this season.

It’s respiratory infection season, and you have every intention of getting the vaccinations you need to keep you safe. But, between updated COVID-19 vaccines, flu shots, the pneumonia vaccine, and now a brand-new vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), it’s easy to get overwhelmed about which vaccines are recommended, who they’re recommended for, when they’re available, and where to get them.

The best thing to do is to speak to your family doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist. You can find a helpful tool on the Canadian Lung Association website to bring with you to record which vaccines are recommended for you and when you receive them. If you have lung disease or live with someone

In August, Health Canada approved an RSV vaccine for adults 60 years and older. Availability of the vaccine and recommendations for who should receive it may vary by province or territory, so be sure to ask your provider about this one. LIVE LONG AND

who does, it’s especially important to get vaccinated. Underlying conditions can increase the risk of serious illness, hospitalization, or even death from an otherwise preventable respiratory infection.

So what vaccinations do I need?

In general, the flu vaccine is recommended annually for everyone six months old and older. If you’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 at least six months ago and it’s been at least six months since you’ve had COVID-19, it's important that you get an updated COVID-19 vaccination this fall. This will help protect you against the new strains of the virus. You can get your COVID-19 and flu vaccines during the same visit.

The pneumonia vaccine for adults is typically a one-time vaccine recommended for those 65 years old and older, and for adults of any age who have certain underlying health conditions (including chronic lung disease) and are at increased risk of serious illness. Those who smoke are also considered at higher risk.

Publisher: Evan Sebesta Business

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

–Remembering Leonard Nimoy and Raising Awareness for COPD

Leonard Nimoy’s role as Spockin the hit series StarTrekis known globally, but many are unaware of his battle with lung disease and the story he wished to tell before his passing in 2015. Mediaplanet spoke with Nimoy’s son-in-law David Knight, about how his advocacy journey started and why it was important to him and Leonard’s daughter, Julie, to carry on the legacy.

When did Leonard decide to become an advocate for COPD awareness?

David Knight: Although he had suffered for several years with lung problems, he chose not to go public with the information and the change really had to do with an event that took place.

In 2014 when Leonard was returning from vacation, paparazzi took photos of him at the airport with his portable oxygen on and looking unwell. While at the time, this was cause for frustration and embarrassment, along with an invasion of privacy, he also realized it might be an opportunity to do something positive. He appeared on the Piers Morgan Show and formally announced he had COPD and soon became an advocate.

When diagnosed, we want people to successfully manage, and treat COPD, so that as Leonard would say, they can live long and prosper.

ing is a natural thing, but when there's something wrong, we pay very close attention. Smoking was the cause of Leonard’s lung disease, so if you smoke, try to give it up. The second point is to talk to your health care professional as soon as possible. The third is working with health professionals to take the necessary steps to manage diagnosis. There are a lot of treatment and respiratory rehabilitation options out there.

important to know about lung disease?

David Knight: We made the documentary not only to cele brate and honour Leonard's legacy and his accomplishments, but also to put a face behind this disease. It affects millions of people around the world. It clearly deserves more attention, funding, and research.

What motivated you and Julie to continue Leonard’s advocacy work and to produce the Remembering Leonard Nimoy documentary?

What are three key takeaways that you believe people should be aware of regarding COPD?

David Knight: The first key is how serious it is. This is a disease that you must take seriously. We don't often think much about our breath; breath-

David Knight: We wanted to honour his life. Before Leonard passed away, one of his biggest wishes was that we get the word out about COPD. There's a lot of stigmas associated with this disease, and the documentary was our way of removing some of that stigma and continuing to honour Leonard’s legacy by creating awareness for lung disease.

Given your perspective, what other information do you feel is

When you have COPD, it's difficult to stay active. Sometimes it’s difficult to get out of bed. As caregivers, family members, I think it's important that you continue to encourage and motivate and give hope. You need to be consistent and do everything you can.

From a patient's perspective, it’s very difficult. At one point, walking 20 feet was challenging for Leonard. To try to encourage him to go to a pulmonary rehab class wasn’t easy. It's really important to maintain that hope and encouragement.

When diagnosed, we want people to successfully manage, and treat COPD, so that as Leonard would say, they can live long and prosper.

Thispagewasmadepossiblewithsupportfromaleadingresearch-basedpharmaceuticalcompany.

David Knight & Julie Nimoy

If you or a loved one have COPD symptoms, talk to a health care professional today.

For more information about Remembering LeonardNimoy please contact us at info@remembering leonardfilm.com

Brought

How a Respiratory Therapist Can Help Patients Manage Illness

Seeking support and expertise from a registered respiratory therapist can help those with respiratory illnesses to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

Michele Sponagle

Canada is in the midst of respiratory disease season. While many people can get through an illness without seeking medical attention, some will become seriously ill and require significant levels of care. Registered respiratory therapists (RRTs) can play an integral role in helping patients to manage their health in a variety of settings, from at-home care to emergency rooms.

These professionals offer a range of important services, including education and training for respiratory care procedures, patient advocacy,

case management and the implementation of coordinated care plans, the development of home respiratory care, and ongoing patient monitoring. More than 4,000 RRTs in the province are represented by the Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario, led by its president Yvonne Drasovean.

“Many patients have difficulty getting access to their family physicians,” says Drasovean. “There’s evidence that family health teams and physicians’ offices who work with RRTs can help prevent unnecessary admissions to hospitals. RRTs can assist patients by helping them deal with their disease on a day-to-day basis.”

Ask your health care provider how an RRT can help you or a loved one manage respiratory illness. Learn more at rtso.ca. This article was sponsored by the Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario

Yvonne Drasovean President, Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario

Are You Suffering From COPD? Breathe Better and Improve Your Quality of Life

Excess mucus and breathing difficulties mean COPD patients struggle with daily activities — but a specific device can make their lives better.

Carolyne Van Der Meer

Acommon lung disease affecting typically people 35 years of age and over, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fifth leading cause of death in Canada — and the third leading cause worldwide. Restricted airflow and excess mucus are common in people with COPD, resulting in breathing issues, cough often with mucus , wheezing and tiredness. Tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke and air pollution exacerbate the symptoms, and people with COPD are more vulnerable to additional health challenges, such as lung infections like the flu or pneumonia. While the disease is not curable, quality of life can be improved according to Jocelyn Vachon, a retired Chateauguay, Quebec-based respiratory therapist w ho has helped manage patients for decades, including his motherin-law's COPD since it was officially diagnosed

With more than a decade of experience in emergency departments and intensive care wards, Vachon had seen his fair share of respiratory issues. This, combined with teaching respiratory therapy at Collège de Rosemont in Montreal for 20 years, meant that Vachon was the perfect person to teach Mrs. Pitre how to improve her quality of life with COPD.

Improving quality of life

When Vachon met his mother-in-law

in 1990, she was a heavy smoker with a wet cough. While Mrs. Pitre stopped smoking for many years, she took it up again in 2018, triggering an attack in 2019 that led to a hospital ization — and to an official COPD diagnosis. She left the hospital with oral corticotherapy and inhalers — and considerable anxiety about her future. Almost immediately, Vachon purchased an Aerobika* device for her, which is designed to help open airways, clear excess mucus, and improve breathing. “Aerobika* was an obvious solution for her — and something I knew well from my years as a practitioner.”

The Aerobika* device is an important part of disease management — and COPD patients with excess mucus should ask their doctor or respiratory therapist about using one or learn about it online.

Vachon explains that using the Aerobika* device two to three times a day for 10 minutes at a time — with breaks if necessary — has made all the difference. “Since she has been using the Aerobika*, my mother-in-law has not returned to an emergency room — and she is more active, despite her older age. It’s as if the disease has slowed down,” Vachon explains.

Taking charge of COPD

He also emphasizes that early diagnosis is key. “Had her COPD been diagnosed earlier, the disease could have been managed more strategically.”

Here, Vachon refers to taking charge of disease management through non-pharmacological treatments such as airway clearance devices, smoking cessation programs, nutritional health, re-education about smog, understanding available resources, in addition to medication options. “The Aerobika* device is an important part of disease management — and COPD patients with excess mucus should ask their doctor or respiratory therapist about using one or learn about it online,” he adds.

TheAerobika*deviceisavailableinpharmaciesacrossCanada.Manyprivateinsuranceplanswillcoverthedevice. TheAerobika*deviceisdesignedanddevelopedinCanada.