Lungs In Action

Exercise maintenance programs, like Lungs in Action, provide a continuum of care for patients, following pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation.

Lungs in Action helps patients maintain the health and wellbeing benefits of participating in pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation over the longer term. The program also plays an integral role in decreasing social isolation and facilitates relationships with those with a lived experience, enhancing community connectedness and belonging.

Benefits for your patients

Research shows that continuing to exercise regularly after rehabilitation helps maintain the health and wellbeing benefits achieved, which keeps patients well and out of hospital. Other benefits include:

• Improve symptoms of breathlessness, making daily activities easier, increasing independence
• Meet and socialise with people who understand what it’s like to live with a chronic condition
• Improves muscle strength and endurance and improves balance, decreasing risk of falls
• Helps clear mucus (or sputum)
• Helps patients maintain a healthy weight
• Improves bone density (resistance/weight-bearing exercise)
• Exercises are tailored to patient needs

Class structure

Lungs in Action classes are facilitated by exercise professionals (Allied Health professionals and Fitness Instructors) who have completed Lung Foundation Australia’s comprehensive, evidence-based training program.

Classes are ongoing or term based (aligned to school terms) and conducted in a variety of venues, including community facilities, gyms and health clinics. Classes are flexible, tailored to suit patient needs and exercises include walking, upper and lower body strength and endurance exercises, balance and stretching. There are also seated options for every exercise making it suitable for people who may be more breathless, require supplemental oxygen or use a walking aid.

Lungs in Action is a valuable self-management tool, providing an opportunity for patients to participate in structured, supervised group exercise classes.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for Lungs in Action, patients need to have a chronic lung or cardiac condition and have completed pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation in the past 6 months.

The program is also suitable for people with stable heart conditions, who often experience similar symptoms to those with lung conditions, such as breathlessness.

Eligible lung conditions include:

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Bronchiectasis
• Asthma
• Lung transplant
• Alpha1-antiitrypsin deficiency
• Interstitial lung disease
• Lung cancer

For a full list of eligibility criteria, please click here – Lungs in Action Eligibility Criteria.

Refer your patient

To attend Lungs in Action, patients require a referral from a healthcare professional such as a respiratory or cardiac specialist, rehabilitation physiotherapist or doctor.

Digital referrals can be made by searching for a local Lungs in Action program on Lung Foundation Australia’s Service Directory and completing an Expression of Interest form.

On submission of your referral, our Information and Support Centre team will contact your patient to screen them for Lungs in Action and will discuss other programs and services that may suit their needs.

Become a Lungs in Action Instructor

Lungs in Action Instructors work as an extension of a broader healthcare team, supporting patients to maintain the health benefits achieved in pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation. There are many benefits to becoming an Instructor including:

• Supporting your local community
• Learning new skills and knowledge
• Developing your career
• Adding value to your business by offering a specialised class
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary healthcare team that compliments the health service

 By establishing a Lungs in Action program, you will be helping people with a lived experience of chronic lung and cardiac conditions to live their best life through exercise, reducing social isolation, enhancing community connectedness and sense of belonging.

Meet an Instructor

Aileen had worked in the fitness industry for 18 years. Four years ago, she decided to give herself a new challenge by setting up a Lungs in Action class in her local area. She has found the experience to be incredibly rewarding, significantly improving participants exercise capacity and reducing breathlessness.

“If you’re considering becoming a Lungs in Action Instructor, you should do it because it is very rewarding. You meet a lot of different people, with different conditions, and it is rewarding when you see them be able to do more things, do their exercises well, be able to go home and do things without feeling like they have to sit down.”

Aileen, Lungs in Action Instructor, Bendigo VIC

Instructor eligibility

To become a Lungs in Action Instructor you need to be:

• An Exercise Physiologist, Physiotherapist or Exercise Scientist with 12 months’ experience
• Fitness Instructor or Personal Trainer (minimum Cert IV in Fitness) with a minimum of 2 years’ experience exercising older adults.
• Allied Health Assistants, Nurses and Occupational Therapists are encouraged to contact Lungs in Action to discuss eligibility

Training process

To become an accredited Instructor, candidates need to complete the Lungs in Action theory training and Lungs in Action practical training, which are accredited with Exercise and Sports Science Australia and AUSactive. To view the learning outcomes and CPD/CECs available, visit the respective links above.
If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Lungs in Action Instructor please complete our expression of interest form.

Become a Lungs in Action Mentor

Lungs in Action Mentors provide guidance, hands-on experience and support to candidates throughout their practical training to ensure quality delivery of the Lungs in Action program.

Exercise Physiologists or Physiotherapists who are involved in delivering pulmonary and/or cardiac rehabilitation are encouraged to become mentors to enhance their professional development and teaching, in addition to supporting the development of the reciprocal referral relationship between rehabilitation providers and Lungs in Action Instructors.

Mentor Eligibility

• Mentors can be Physiotherapists or Accredited Exercise Physiologists, Clinical Nurse Consultants, Nurse Practitioners or Registered Nurses currently working in pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation.
• Have experience delivering and prescribing exercise as part of a pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation program for at least 12 months, within the last 2 years.