RHA Receives Funding to Help COPD Patients and Family Caregivers
Respiratory Health Association (RHA) was recently awarded funding in the form of a subcontract from the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, to help further the goals of the COPD National Action Plan to reduce the burden of COPD nationwide. This subcontract—one of just six awarded nationwide—is part of the NHLBI’s COPD Learn More Breathe Better® program and aims to conduct education and awareness activities around chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its risk factors.
The focus of RHA’s subcontract is on providing resources to informal family caregivers of people living with COPD. Through its work with the COPD community, RHA identified a significant gap in educational and support resources dedicated to COPD caregivers. COPD caregivers are often underprepared for the range of roles and tasks required in tending to a family member or friend with COPD. In response, RHA developed The COPD Caregiver’s Toolkit, a comprehensive resource based on input from caregivers, patients and health care providers.
“This subcontract is an exciting opportunity for us to help people living with COPD and their caregivers,” said Joel Africk, RHA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to advancing the goals of the COPD National Action Plan and we are thrilled to receive NHLBI’s support for our COPD community and surrounding regions.”
With this award, RHA will disseminate approximately 300 copies of The COPD Caregiver’s Toolkit through health care providers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin in an effort to reduce the burden of COPD and improve disease treatment and management.
For additional information on the disease and the COPD Learn More Breathe Better program: COPD.nhlbi.nih.gov.
Visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/copd/subcontractors/subcontractor-program.htm to learn more about the community partner subcontractor program.