Carolina Caring's new lung program helps patients manage symptoms

A specialized lung care program launched on Aug. 1 will provide care for complex respiratory conditions.

Carolina Caring’s Advanced Lung Care Program helps patients receive the personalized care they need for their advanced respiratory illness at end of life, while remaining comfortably at home—leading to a reduction of hospitalizations and improved quality of life for patients and their families.

Care is provided by nursing staff trained in best practices to treat lung diseases affecting the airways, lung tissue, and pulmonary blood flow. Patients will benefit from advanced symptom management that can help reduce their shortness of breath, fatigue, anxiety, or other symptoms related to their lung condition.

Team members will also provide caregivers and/or family members with the tools and education they need to care for their loved ones with confidence.

“For many of our patients, shortness of breath can be a distressing symptom,” said Kristen Peeler, director of Carolina Caring’s Advanced Lung Care Program. “This program will ensure that Carolina Caring eases that burden and brings comfort in the most personal and meaningful of ways. It will deepen our ability to meet patients where they are—physically and emotionally—as we walk them through this final chapter with skill and grace.”

To qualify, patients must be 21 years of age and meet specific criteria within the Palliative Medicine or Hospice Care program at Carolina Caring.

This program was developed through Carolina Caring’s partnerships with the National Partnership for Healthcare & Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and the American Lung Association.

For more information about Advanced Lung Care, including patient eligibility, service locations, program goals, and how to make a referral, visit carolinacaring.org/lungcare/ or call 828-466-0466.

ABOUT CAROLINA CARING

Founded in 1979, Carolina Caring is an independent, community-based, nonprofit health care provider. It specializes in programs that offer relief from chronic conditions, serious illnesses, and the challenges they bring, including palliative medicine and hospice care for all ages, primary care, and grief counseling.

Carolina Caring serves 12 counties across western North Carolina and the Charlotte Region, including Burke County. Learn more about the organization at www.carolinacaring.org.