Jennifer Pass
Special to the Record
When you are in your 60s, the random conversations focus on travel.
鈥淏een anywhere lately?鈥�
鈥淚 was just in Burnaby, what about you?鈥� 鈥淥h, we just got back from a trip through the Panama Canal, and then to Galapagos 鈥� it was amazing!鈥�
So, there goes that conversation.
In one鈥檚 70s the focus shifts to health issues.
鈥淗ow ya bin?鈥�
鈥淣ot great. I just had heart problems and had four stents put in.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 nothin鈥�. I know a guy with 12 stents.鈥�
Another two-sentence conversation.
But there are a lot of seniors who have cardiac issues and have had either a major heart attack or hints of one coming, and have had stents (like little culverts to keep the flow going) inserted into their hearts.
And as residents of the Comox Valley, we know where that procedure is done 鈥� Victoria.
When one is discharged (it is often just a day procedure), one receives a glossy magazine explaining the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. But here is the rub. One has usually been super careful before the procedure 鈥� maybe a warning sign a month or two earlier and then the medical advice, while awaiting the procedure, to avoid exercise and use the nitroglycerin spray at the first sign of a problem. Or, one has done more exercise than usual, had a heart attack and been taken by ambulance to Victoria. So, the desire to 鈥済et back on the horse鈥� and exercise is pretty weak. It is understandable that one may be anxious to not do anything very physically demanding.
To address that reluctance, because it really is important to start exercising gradually after heart procedures, about 20 years ago there was an appropriate exercise program in Victoria at Royal Jubilee Hospital. There was a move to take that program out of the hospital and into community centres, making it more accessible and less obviously 鈥渕edical.鈥� Around that time, Debra Wilson went to Victoria to see the program in operation and decided to try to get a similar program in Campbell River. She succeeded, and this program is under her continuing supervision as fitness and rehabilitation co-ordinator of Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex. The 鈥淭ake Heart and Breathe Well鈥� program is one of several rehabilitation programs provided at Strathcona Gardens under Deb鈥檚 supervision.
This is not an ordinary exercise program. The staff are trained in and make sure participants鈥� oxygen levels and blood pressure are monitored. The referrals come from both GP鈥檚 and specialists. The rehab exercise staff have access to the necessary medical information to help each participant individually. The program also assists patients with COPD and other lung conditions.
After a three month introductory program, the participants can sign up for a program that is three times a week. There are people who have been in the program for over 12 years.
So, with such a clearly successful and important program, we must have them all over the Island, right? No. In Victoria there are several similar heart health programs in community centres. The Campbell River program is the only 鈥渉eart鈥� program and 鈥渂reathe well鈥� program north of Victoria. There are communities on the Island in the process of starting these programs.
Why isn鈥檛 there such a program in the Comox Valley? Clearly, the development of the program needs the vision and determination of someone like Debra Wilson. But we also need to have kinesiologists with specialized training in cardiac rehab to run the program, and staffing shortages are a major problem for even the existing programs.
Meanwhile, although some seniors are close enough and can afford to drive to Victoria or Campbell River, for some the distance or cost of gas will prevent them from receiving this important health care program. This may well result in poorer health outcomes and increased government health-care dollars in the long run.
Jennifer Pass is the Co-ordinator of Comox Valley Elders Take Action (ETA)
