Wednesday, February 02, 2011
PRH Teams Up With Best Western Pembroke
PEMBROKE - Thanks to funding made available through the Trillium Foundation, a pilot program is now well underway in our region for survivors of Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and minor non-disabling strokes who have the capacity to participate in an exercise program.
Developed by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Champlain Regional Stroke Network, the pilot project which began at designated sites in Ottawa and Pembroke this past fall, provides opportunities for these patients to participate safely and effectively in existing Heart Wise Exercise programs in the community which are designed for individuals with heart disease and those concerned about their heart health.
In our region, the Pembroke Regional Hospital's District Stroke Centre (DSC) has teamed up with exercise leaders at Pembroke’s Best Western Fitness Centre in order to link stroke survivors with a suitable community-based exercise program.
“The most recent Canadian Stroke Best Practice Guidelines recommend that persons at risk of stroke should participate in moderate exercise (an accumulation of 30-60 minutes) such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or other dynamic exercise, four to seven days each week in addition to routine activities of daily living,” said Holly Woermke, District Stroke Centre Coordinator at PRH.
“Being a part of this pilot program and being able to offer this option to self-referred patients in the Upper Ottawa Valley is an important step forward in terms of stroke prevention and reoccurrence,” Ms. Woermke said.
Since its launch, six staff from Pembroke’s Best Western Fitness Centre, including two who do Heart Wise training for those not comfortable with a class setting have been trained by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and have participated in a half-day seminar which was developed by the Champlain Regional Stroke Network.
Fitness Manager Tammy Blackmore said the workshops were fantastic and staff who regularly update their skills learned a lot.
“Heart and Stroke has always been dear to me,” Ms. Blackmore said. “To be part of this (pilot project) meant a lot to our staff – to our programming. It’s so good when we see people coming in to get active regardless of their situation.“
“For more than 10 years we have run classes that were more of a gentler tone – we have never turned anyone away – so whether it’s people recovering from heart attacks or stroke, 2 hip or knee surgery – they all fit in one class,” Ms. Blackmore said. “It’s the toughest class to teach, but it’s also the most rewarding.”
The Best Western Pembroke Fitness Centre offers three gentle cardio classes per week as well as two Aqua Fit classes.
Ms. Blackmore said the local fitness centre has actively supported the Heart and Stroke Foundation since 1994 and since then, has helped raise more than $400,000 for the charity, including funds for the purchase and installation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) not only for the fitness centre but also for public sport locations within the community.
Heart Wise Exercise Program Facilitator Anna Fuite, said Pembroke was chosen as a pilot site because Heart Wise Exercise has formed great partnerships with both the Pembroke Regional Hospital and Best Western Pembroke Fitness Centre over the past few years while developing cardiac friendly exercise programs in the region.
“It was also important to us that we pilot a program outside Ottawa because as we know a rural postal code can also mean a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke,” Ms. Fuite said.
“With this pilot project, we really wanted to provide opportunities for safe participation in existing Heart Wise Exercise programs in the community. Best Western Pembroke Fitness Centre was chosen as the initial pilot site, and soon we hope to include all Heart Wise Exercise program sites as a resource for stroke friendly exercise and prevention programs.”
Visit www.heartwiseexercise.ca for more information about Heart Wise Exercise and a list of all program locations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT,
Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator
Pembroke Regional Hospital
(613) 732-3675, ext. 6165 / carolyn.levesque@pemreghos.org
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