Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Over 200,000 New Zealanders live with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, or mate ia tuku), an umbrella term used to describe a variety of progressive respiratory diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma. Traditionally, treatment for COPD includes smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation and medications, yet despite these measures, many find the activities of daily living and exercising difficult due to the reduced lung capacity brought about by the condition.

Innovative research undertaken at the MRINZ has investigated a novel rehabilitation approach utilising a community singing group for people living with COPD. The ‘Sing Your Lungs Out’ (SYLO) community choir was originally started as part of a research project to assess the emotional and physical impact that social singing has on those who live with COPD. The results of this research show that those involved in community singing reported substantially increased health benefits such as improvements in breathing, sputum clearance and exercise tolerance, as well as a general sense of improved well-being.

At the 2016 Minister of Health Volunteer Awards, the SYLO team were the recipients of the Health Volunteer of the Year award and the Community or NGO Health Service Team award for their work. The unique model of the SYLO choir established by the MRINZ has now been replicated with similar choirs having been set up in New Zealand, and around the world.