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For the Prevention and
Now part of Health and Wellness Centre! Heart disease is considered the number one killer in North America. As medical technology and awareness improves, there is more we can do to reduce the incidence of cardiac events (such as heart attack, by-pass surgery, angioplasty & valve replacements). The York Central Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre and Life Styles Plus Program provides a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. The Centre is collocated with the Diabetes Education Centre at the York Central Hospital Health and Wellness Centre at Rutherford Rd. and Keele St. The Centre is designed to help improve quality of life by education and modification of risk factors. As part of a Ministry of Health endorsed pilot project and now receiving dedicated funding, the Centre provides appropriate exercise, diet, pharmaceutical and psychosocial counselling to help empower patients with the tools needed to make any necessary lifestyle changes. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre at York Central Hospital Health and Wellness Centre welcomes anyone with risk factors for cardiac disease as well as those with documented cardiac disease. The lifestyles plus program is for those with multiple modifiable risk factors such as impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Think about how we can help improve your health or the health of those around you. Please feel free to browse through the site and educate yourself on our Centre or learn how to modify your risk factors for heart disease. Getting Involved In the Centre
Services Offered
Centre Overview The York Central Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre and Lifestyles Plus Program functions as a complete treatment facility for cardiac rehabilitation and life syle modification by minimizing risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke and focusing on lifestyle modifications necessary to prevent cardiovascular and problems. Patients are treated using a multidisciplinary approach including the services of Physicians, Nurses, Dietitians, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Exercise Physiologists, Kinesiologists, and Rehab Counsellors. Classes are held Monday through Friday. Class times range throughout the day from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. There are many educational workshops and lectures provided as part of a comprehensive lifestyles management centre. Support groups are also available for patients and family members led by a Rehab Counsellor. All patients undergo a graded exercise stress test (physician administered by treadmill) before entering the Centre and subsequent exercise tests are used to monitor patient progress. Each exercise class is approximately 1 - 1.5 hours in length. Class sizes range from 15-20 participants. During the classes patients have resting blood pressure and heart rates monitored prior to participating. A group warm-up is performed followed by a comprehensive stretching routine. All participants have the opportunity to complete 30-40 minutes of aerobic circuit training using such equipment as treadmills, stationary cycles, rowing machines, arm ergometers, etc… Depending on the patient's individual level of fitness (based on their exercise test results and achieved MET level), aerobic classes, step classes, mat strengthening classes and resistance training are also added to the patients' routine. Following exercise there is a cool down period including a stretching routine, blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. Classes are generally 6 - 9 months in duration. It is the objective of the York Central Hospital Health and Wellness Centre-Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre to empower patients by providing the information needed to make the necessary lifestyle changes to live a healthier life (preventing further cardiac problems or problems from diabetes or metabolic syndrome). To achieve our goals for patients, there is a large focus on education both in the exercise classes and evening lectures as well as community education days. Patients, who have completed the program, will have received information on risk factor modification, effective safe exercise, good nutrition, and other positive lifestyle choices so that they may continue on the path for a heart healthy lifestyle. Becoming Involved as a patient Before you can start any of our programming you need a referral from your physician. Do you have heart problems (such as heart attacks, bypass surgery, angioplasty, valve replacements), or simply have risk factors for coronary artery disease such as obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, family history, Diabetes , impaired glucose, tolerance etc.?, If you do, you might want to consider talking to your doctor about getting involved in our supervised cardiac rehabilitation programming or lifestyles plus program. If you have any questions about the Centre or some of the benefits that may be appropriate for you, feel free to call and ask questions. Remember that as a patient there is only one person truly responsible for your health; and that person is you! As a patient in the York Central Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre, your well being is a priority. You will learn how to take control of your heart health. Programming at the York Central Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre will empower you to make the best choices towards healthy lifestyle changes. For Physicians Referring Patients into the Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre If you are a physician in the community and would like to find out more about York Central Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre, please read the following information. Currently, only approximately 20% of people who suffer from heart disease are being referred to Cardiac Rehabilitation Centres. The government of Ontario is directing efforts towards improving patient accessibility for cardiac rehabilitation and thereby also increasing the number of people being referred to Cardiac Rehabilitation Centres. The Ministry of Health has provided dedicated funding for the York Central Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre after successfully participating in a Ministry funded pilot project. This is a Ministry of Health initiative to improve accessibility, accountability and continuum of care for cardiac patients in the province of Ontario. The patients undergo an intake interview, orientation session, graded exercise test and risk stratification profile. The patients are then enrolled in a twice-weekly exercise program for six months. Aside from this the patient also must participate in a designated home exercise program. All clinical evaluations are sent to the physician directly. counselling (psychosocial, dietary, medication and exercise) and education sessions are also provided to the patient throughout the duration of their programming. Upon completion, a discharge summary will be sent to the physician (including a the comparative results of a final graded exercise test).
To make a referral, please print the referral form and send or fax to us.
Exercise Programming Exercise classes are led and supervised by Physiotherapists, Nurses, Exercise Physiologists and Kinesiologists. Throughout exercise, heart rate and blood pressure are monitored. Each patient has the opportunity to complete 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise (in the format of a circuit using treadmills, cycles, arm ergometers, rowing machines, etc…). Any concerns regarding patients are immediately communicated to the referring physician. In the event of any abnormalities during exercise, there is timely access to the York Central Hospital Emergency Room. Diet counselling Registered dietitians support the Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre by offering educational sessions including new patient orientation. Individual sessions are also available to those who require them. Dietitians assist patients in reducing their risk of heart disease and complications through nutrition. With counselling and nutritional information, dieticians help patients to achieve normal cholesterol levels, healthy weight and maintain normal blood glucose control. Many people with heart disease are overweight or have other dietary issues that require professional help. A dietitian can help to educate patients to make the appropriate decisions regarding healthy eating habits and weight loss techniques. Diet plays a very important role in the management of heart disease. Diet influences weight gain/loss, cholesterol levels, blood sugar control (for patients with diabetes), & energy levels. The dietitian can help analyze your diet so that you best understand how to make certain dietary decisions. There is a great deal of information on diet. How can we possibly distinguish what may be good or bad information? First examine the source of the information. Ensure that it is a reputable source. If you are unsure, talk to a dietitian. Occupational Therapy Registered Occupational Therapists help to increase the patient's awareness of physical activities and the resulting changes in cardio-respiratory function. There are several educational initiatives that are spearheaded by the occupational therapist to increase the patient's awareness of emotional stress and it's physical effects on the cardio respiratory system. Occupational therapists also offer a scar management service and pressure stockings for surgical patients. Pharmacy The pharmacist assists in improving patient's understanding and benefits of cardiac medications for their recovery and well being. The pharmacist also helps to identify, resolve and prevent drug related problems for cardiac patients. Counselling Patients and family members can speak with a social worker about emotional and family concerns (including back to work issues). Group sessions are offered which focus on the patient and family needs for education and support. The services of a psychologist are available as required for further treatment needs. Stress Testing All patients that participate in the Centre are stress tested in the Nuclear Medicine Department of York Central Hospital. We use a Ramp Protocol (Treadmill) to test exercise capacities to safely prescribe exercise. This is done prior to starting any programming, and again at three months and at six months to chart progress in increased exercise capacity. These tests are performed by a physician and a exercise test technologist. Educate Yourself: Evaluate Your Own Risk! Beneficial and Safe Exercise Tips! There is a wealth of information about safe exercise. Here are a few items that you should consider before starting to exercise. Have you exercised before? If you haven't, you should certainly discuss this with your physician and seek the appropriate exercise counselling. A graded exercise test will inform you of your limits by establishing an appropriate/healthy level of physical activity. This will enable the Centre to prescribe the most beneficial levels of exercise (working with an appropriate target heart rate). What type of exercise is the most beneficial? A combination of aerobic exercise (4-5 times per week for a duration of 30-40 minutes) combined with resistance exercises (2-3 times per week) is the most beneficial for overall cardiovascular health. Aerobic exercises are repetitive in nature such as walking, biking, rowing, swimming, etc… Resistance exercise are exercises that strive to improve overall muscular strength such as weight lifting, rubber bands, and other resistance exercises. What if you do a lot of house work, or gardening or rushing around the office? Is this adequate daily exercise? No! This increased activity may tire you out and be somewhat beneficial to your health, but it cannot replace regular aerobic exercise. What makes exercise a better activity for heart health? During aerobic exercise, your heart rate (pulse) increases for the duration of the activity thus training your heart and increasing cardiovascular benefits. During safe exercise it is recommended to monitor your heart rate and work consistently around your target heart rate (based on your stress test). The benefits of regular exercise are as follows:
Where should you exercise? You can go out for a walk (or inside a mall on extreme hot or cold days), home exercise equipment such as a treadmill or stationary cycle, or at a community based fitness program. If at any point you feel that you are unsure if you are exercising correctly, please seek the advice of your physician. Stress Management Stress can be both positive and negative in our lives. Positive stress allows us to maintain motivation in achieving certain tasks. Negative stress creates a pressure where you cannot feel relaxed and always think about the stress. It is the negative stress that is associated with medical ailments ranging from headaches to heart attacks. Often stresses are more of a perception than anything else. Stress can cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Stress is and of itself a major risk factor in the development of coronary artery disease. The biochemical effects of stress on the body can also be responsible for the breakdown of the inner lining of the arterial walls. It is impossible to control every stressful situation you find yourself facing, however, you can learn how to successfully manage them. The first tip in stress management is to be aware of what triggers the response (the stressor), and try to be proactive in the management of these situations. Often times it is more likely the perception of the situation that creates real stress than the situation itself. A positive attitude is a key factor in the management of stressful situations. Try to maintain a balanced outlook. Do the things that you personally enjoy doing. Depending on your stressor you may find relaxation techniques helpful (including listening to music, meditating, exercise, etc…). Give yourself personal time and space to gather your thoughts and feelings so that you can more effectively deal with day to day stressors. Lastly, manage your time by doing one thing at a time. Many professionals and organizations help to guide people in stress management. The York Central Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre has a variety of techniques to assist patients with stress management.
Please e-mail us at cardiac rehab@yorkcentral.on.ca Other Contact information: Located at Jacob Keffer Site tel: (905) 832-8070 X 2232 |
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York Central Hospital Health and Wellness Centre
37 Jacob Keffer Parkway
Vaughan, ON L4K 5N8
(905) 832 – 8070 x 2232
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