Respiratory Care and Ventilator Weaning in Southern California
Free to Breathe
If you or a loved one depends on a ventilator for assistance with breathing
for all or part of the day, the very idea of not having it anymore can
be both exhilarating and intimidating. Learning to wean oneself from a
ventilator is definitely a milestone in a patient's recovery.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Ventilator Weaning
At Casa Colina, our team of pulmonologists and respiratory care practitioners
use state-of-the-art ventilators and other equipment designed to enhance
one's ability to breathe, so that patients eventually become comfortable
and strong enough to forego their need for a ventilator entirely.
It's a process that requires the expertise of cardiopulmonary specialists
as well as physical and occupational therapists to rebuild a patient's
strength, endurance and breathing skills. A speech-language pathologist
and respiratory therapist will determine if any communication devices
will enable the patient to speak while still on the ventilator. We also
have a dietitian to evaluate the patient's specialized nutritional
needs and develop an individualized diet plan.
Together, our pulmonary rehabilitation team has been very successful helping
many individuals who had previously been unable to wean from mechanical
ventilation, despite their medically complex conditions.
For more information, please call 909/596-7733, ext. 3900.