Cardiac and pulmonary care is taking a step forward in Prince George thanks to a collaboration between Northern Health, UNBC and the YMCA.
Patients recovering from a heart or lung trauma can now get back to normal at the YMCA, guided by UNBC Masters of Physical Therapy students.
“It’s almost like a one stop shop after a (cardiac) intervention, where you get exercise, education, make sure you are not smoking, making sure you are on the right medication. But also, if you start having trouble at least we can pick it up early in the process.” Dr. Haidir Hadi, NH Cardiac Medical Lead said
The partnership was born out of the ashes of a cardiac rehab program provided by the YMCA several years ago. The now defunct program was the personal project of a physiotherapist who has since retired.
But Northern Health says demand within the community and a desire from UNBC to get involved created a perfect storm of collaboration.
“People started this, they wanted it and we actually feel that as an organization, Northern Health, we need to support the program and here we are.” Dr. Hadi said
64 year old Milly Saville had a heart valve replaced in September. She caught rheumatic fever twice in her youth and a virus later in life that left her in need of the surgery.
As an avid hiker, Saville says her recovery was initially discouraging “because I wasn’t sure when I would feel normal again.”
But since starting the program three weeks ago, Saville says she feels far more confident and able to get back on her feet. She has set a goal to climb the Grouse Grind next summer with her grand daughter.
“It’s very exciting to have all this support, because I would have done it on my own but I would have been more tentative or a little bit nervous to know what I was doing.”
She says a few instances of high blood pressure during exercise were caught by her physiotherapist, allowing her the confidence of knowing she isn’t “overdoing it”
The program requires referral from a specialist or family doctor, a stress test ensurea the patient is ready for exercise.
There is already 18 people signed up for the cardio, and 5-6 for the pulmonary program.
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