Course:	Living With Asthma
ID:	LWA
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Living With Asthma?

Living With Asthma is a five session course taught by an asthma educator to patients over the age of 16. It incorporates what patients need to know, including:

• what asthma is
• understanding what ‘control’ means for each individual
• triggers that are individual to the person
• avoiding and minimizing exposure to triggers
• how to monitor the asthma
  - identifying the common symptoms and those unique to an individual
  - using symptom charts
  - using peak flow charts (reading, charting and interpreting them)
• prioritizing avoidance measures
• medications
  - the two types of medication used to control asthma; being able to distinguish between those that provide relief from symptoms and those that control the underlying inflammation
  - the time needed for medications to become effective
  - the side effects of medications
  - the devices used; the correct technique; the care and cleaning of the devices;
  - how to tell when the devices are empty
• lifestyle choices
• exercising with asthma
• relaxation exercises and techniques to reduce stress
• the 10 deadly mistakes

How long is the Living With Asthma course?

The course consists of 5 classes, taught over a five-week period. The sessions are spread over five weeks to enable patients to practice the skills (monitoring, management and communication) they are taught. Living With Asthma uses a step by step approach. Since different individuals learn at different rates, review and reinforcement techniques are built into the structure of the course.

Does Living With Asthma restrict what can be taught?

The course is neither rigid nor structured. It provides a framework which the asthma educator can add or customize to take into account the needs of the persons taking the course. It can be adapted for different cultures.

For whom is Living With Asthma meant?

While the course is intended for small groups (15 persons or less), and to exploit the numerous advantages that result from small group interaction, it can also be used to teach individual patients.

Living With Asthma can be taught to any group of persons who have asthma, or who are parents and/or caregivers of people with asthma. It is for persons above the age of 16. It can be used with adolescents as young as 14, depending on their level of maturity. If they are included, it would be helpful to have the parent of the adolescent as part of the group. There is no upper age limit.

Where do I teach Living With Asthma?

The course can be taught anywhere. It has been taught in offices, in community centers, at a hospital, in a retail store at a shopping mall, in classrooms, and in office meeting rooms. The only “supplies” needed are an overhead projector and chairs or desks for the students. Other visual aids can be added at the discretion of the educator.

Attendees liked the hospital setting least. The most-preferred location was the shopping mall.

A hint for success: Don’t expect the patients or caregivers to come to you. Go to them. Take Living With Asthma to where your patients are most comfortable meeting. Choose a comfortable, relaxed setting. That will help dispel some of the fears attendant on asthma.