Cardiac Rehabilitation at Covenant Wellness Community
The cardiac rehabilitation clinic at the Lakewood Community Health Centre helps people get back to living full, active lives after experiencing heart problems. Located at Covenant Wellness Community — Lakewood, the clinic brings heart health services directly to the southeast Edmonton community.
What is cardiac rehab?
The cardiac rehab program helps people who have had heart surgery, heart attacks or other heart-related problems.
“Cardiac rehab is an outpatient program intended for people following a cardiac event such as a heart attack or bypass surgery” says Tracey Paddick, a registered dietitian who has been with the program for 13 years. “The program helps people build healthy habits that support health, so they feel ready to get back to everyday life after a heart issue.”
The clinic offers a six-week program starting with an initial assessment when patients meet with a nurse to review medical history and risk factors such as stress, exercise and smoking history. A physician assesses clients to ensure readiness to start the program. Then clients are offered weekly exercise sessions while wearing a heart monitor under the supervision of nursing. The clinic also offers an assortment of education classes and a virtual program which offers guidance for home exercise and risk factor management.
Building confidence after a heart event
One of the most important parts of the program is helping people feel confident about being active again after experiencing a heart problem.
"The hope is that by coming people just feel more confident in exercise," says Tracey. "We know people who come to cardiac rehab do better after a heart event with reduced risk of future heart events and better quality of life."
Many patients feel scared or worried after having heart problems. The program helps them understand that they can still live active, healthy lives while building a sense of community and shared experiences.
"The clients who come to our program are often stressed when they first arrive," Tracey says. "The hope is that over that time period their confidence increases."
Nutrition counseling
As the clinic's dietitian, Tracey meets one-on-one with patients to talk about healthy eating. She also teaches group classes about nutrition and heart health.
"Nutrition is one of the most powerful tools we have for heart health — it fuels both recovery and long-term wellness."
"In my role, I meet people where they are at," she says. "I work with each person to create realistic, enjoyable nutrition plans to support overall health."
Tracey helps patients sort through confusing nutrition information they might find online or hear from well-meaning friends and family.
"There's so much information out there," she says. "Well-intended friends and family tell clients what to do, and it's not always the best recommendation. So - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
A team approach
The cardiac rehab team includes nurses, dietitians, physicians and support staff who all work together to help patients. Tracey highlights the dedication of her colleagues.
"We have a great team of nurses and a fabulous admin assistant who are working really hard and extremely client focused," she says. "We love increasing the confidence of our clients as they move through our program."
A wellness-focused environment
Formerly located at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, the clinic now operates in a community wellness setting rather than a traditional hospital environment. This approach focuses on promoting health and wellness rather than just treating illness.
"I want to promote that you have a health condition that is manageable and can be improved with lifestyle changes," says Tracey.
The Community Health Centre offers several unique features that support patient care:
a smart board in the dietitian office for better patient education
modern facilities designed for comfort and accessibility
a small track around the exercise equipment for walking tests
a demonstration kitchen where patients can learn to prepare heart-healthy meals
other classrooms for education
More than just exercise
When patients meet with Tracey for nutrition counseling, the conversations sometimes go beyond just food choices.
"When people come into my office, of course I'm talking mostly about nutrition," she says. "But as soon as the door is closed and a client is sitting with me, I learn about their life. Often, I learn about client's life stresses and connect people with other resources that may be helpful such as the food bank, counseling services and occupational therapy."
This personal approach helps the team understand each patient's unique situation and provide the best possible care.
Part of integrated care
The cardiac rehabilitation clinic is part of the larger Community Health Centre, which houses many different health services under one roof. This makes it easier for patients to access multiple types of care in one convenient location.
The clinic also works closely with other programs, including the diabetes education centre located nearby. Many cardiac rehab patients also have diabetes, so having these services close together helps with referrals and coordinated care.
The cardiac rehabilitation clinic represents a community-based approach to heart health that focuses on helping people build confidence, learn healthy habits and get back to living the lives they want after a heart event.