Taking it to Heart this Heart Month: Expert available on why survivors still need to be talked into cardiac rehab
TORONTO, February 7, 2019 – Approximately 2.4 million Canadian adults are affected by heart disease and heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability globally. For many who have suffered a cardiac event, cardiac rehab can increase their chance at life and lessen their chances of being hospitalized again. Yet many do not – or choose not to – participate.
Sherry Grace, professor in the Faculty of Health at York University and Senior Scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, is an expert on cardiac rehabilitation, which provides a structured program of exercise, education and counselling to reduce the risk of future heart problems.
Grace, who led an international team that reviewed trials on ways to get more patients using rehab, can speak about the results which show encouraging patients, face-to-face while they’re still in hospital, to enroll in a cardiac rehab program really boosts their subsequent participation.
She can also address:
- The role and benefits of cardiac rehab
- Ways to overcome most patient barriers to attending cardiac rehab such as distance, language or cost
- Why face-to-face encouragement by a healthcare provider makes a difference
- What patients need to hear, to promote their enrolment in cardiac rehab
York University champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.
York U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.
Media Contact: Anjum Nayyar, York University Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 44543, anayyar@yorku.ca
