[title subtitle=”WORDS and IMAGES courtesy Alicia Agent, Manager Marketing Communications, Baptist Health – Fort Smith”][/title]
Baptist Health-Fort Smith Program Offers Therapy, Education for Cardiac Rehab Patients to Live Healthier Lifestyle
For Burt Kelly, living a life with purpose is important.
“I have to be purposeful about what I’m doing, and in this case it’s a life or death purpose for me,” he said.
Burt, seventy, has survived two heart attacks, a heart valve replacement and coronary artery stent surgery. With a family history of heart disease, Burt knows how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle. One way he’s doing that is by participating in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Baptist Health-Fort Smith.
The program at Baptist Health-Fort Smith combines expert education and supervised exercise therapy in the comfort of Marvin Altman Fitness Center inside the Fort Smith hospital. Patients learn how to incorporate heart-healthy habits such as a proper diet, exercise and stress management techniques that can lead to a better quality of life. Education on prescriptions and over-the-counter medications is also part of the program.
Over the last year, the capacity of the cardiac rehab program has doubled and new exercise equipment and heart monitors have been added.
“The program is recommended for people who have open heart surgery, bypass surgery, heart attack or stents,” said Melanie Catlett, RN. “It’s encouraged because statistics show people who participate in the program live longer. It also helps get them into an exercise routine so they can get back to their normal lives with a new understanding of their limitations and strengths.”
Exercise plays a huge role in cardiovascular health. Proper exercise becomes increasingly important as we age because it can help reduce dependence on medications and future hospitalizations. Melanie and the cardiac rehab team start by finding an exercise baseline for each patient in the cardiac rehab program based on their needs and abilities.
“The very first day they told me to do six minutes on the recumbent bike,”Burt said. “Two minutes in, I said, ‘I’m not going to make it,’ and now I can do twenty minutes.”
A patient’s time in cardiac rehab could last between six and twelve weeks, depending on his or her risk factors and condition.
Burt says he was impressed to see how moderate exercise increased his endurance and helped him feel better as the weeks went by. According to Melanie, one of the goals is for patients to be able to continue to exercise on their own after completing the program to make a lasting lifestyle change.
“I got to where I was looking forward to being here in the morning,” Burt said. “I knew I was going to feel better when I was done with my exercise program and I felt safe because they monitored my heart rate during the activity.”
While each program is tailored to the individual’s needs, many activities are done in a group setting which allows patients to get to know each other and share their experiences. Burt has been able to maintain the friendships he made with other community members in the class. The social aspect of the program serves to inspire and encourage participants.
“When I come to the gym, I see these guys that are eighty years old, active and healthy now, and I think ‘That’s what I want to be,’” Burt said.
Burt has plenty of reasons to stay active so he can reach that goal, including his wife of forty-five years.
“I have eight grandchildren that I love dearly and I want to be a part of their lives for as long as I can,” he said. “I want to be a positive part of my wife’s life, as well, so I’ve got to take care of myself.”
Both Melanie and Burt agree experiencing a life-changing event such as a heart attack can be scary, but with the help of trained professionals at Baptist Health patients can increase their strength, regain independence and boost their confidence.
“You realize you can do things you didn’t think you could do before,” Burt said. “We have a big yard and a garden at home that I have the energy to take care of now. And it’s all because of my experience here.”
If you’re interested in enrolling in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Baptist Health-Fort Smith, talk to your doctor or call 479.441.5220.
