CARDIOPULMONARY REHABILITATION IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: RESTORING LIFE, ONE BREATH AND BEAT AT A TIME

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation has traditionally emphasized physiological outcomes such as exercise tolerance and pulmonary function, yet these metrics alone fail to capture the lived experience of individuals with cardiopulmonary disease. Conditions including coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, COPD, post-COVID syndrome, and pulmonary fibrosis impose profound disruptions on daily functioning, roles, and identity. This chapter positions occupational therapy as essential to addressing these broader impacts through its occupation-centred and person-centred approach. It presents a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework for practice across the rehabilitation continuum, integrating theoretical models such as MOHO, CMOP-E, and the ICF. Assessment strategies include standardized measures alongside functional and environmental evaluations. Key intervention domains encompass energy conservation, activity pacing, breathing techniques within meaningful activity, psychosocial support, self-management education, assistive technology, and vocational rehabilitation. Occupational therapy contributions are mapped across acute, post-acute, and community phases, with attention to complex and palliative populations. By focusing on functional performance and meaningful engagement, occupational therapy enables recovery that extends beyond survival, supporting individuals to reclaim participation in daily life and restore a sense of identity and purpose.