Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

The regional cardiovascular rehabilitation service is offered throughout the Central East Local Health Information Network (LHIN) at hospital and community sites closer to where patients live and work. This six-month exercise and education program helps participants to get on track to a heart healthy lifestyle.

Thanks to $1 million in funding and ongoing investment by the Central East LHIN, the regional service has expanded to 13 community and hospital-based sites in Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville, Cobourg, Port Perry, Lindsay, Peterborough and Campbellford. All participants are within 30-minutes travel distance of one of these facilities. Since launching in 2012, the regional program has helped patients to reduce their risk of hospitalization and need for clinical interventions, and improve their blood pressure, level of fitness, smoking cessation and quality of life.

Download regional cardiovascular rehabilitation brochure.

 Cardiovascular rehabilitation is a supervised service that helps to improve the health of patients with a vascular disease; patients who have had a cardiac procedure; or those who are at high risk of developing a cardiovascular disease.

Risk factors

Cardiovascular rehab is for you if you have experienced a vascular event, condition, or procedure:

• Angina

• Heart attack or acute coronary

• syndrome

• Angioplasty (stent)

• Bypass surgery

• Pacemaker or ICD

• Heart failure

• Heart transplantation

• Cardiomyopathy

• Peripheral vascular disease

• Non-debilitating stroke or TIA

• Valve surgery

• Reno vascular disease

You may also be eligible if you are high risk with multiple risk factors for vascular disease, such as:

• History of smoking

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Inactive lifestyle or obesity.

Benefits

Cardiovascular rehabilitation will help you to:

• Manage risk factors for vascular disease

• Control your weight, lower your cholesterol, and decrease your blood pressure; and manage diabetes

• Increase your fitness, endurance and energy

• Reduce stress, anxiety and depression

• Decrease your risk of having a vascular event

How the program works

The regional cardiovascular rehabilitation service consists of a six-month program led by expert exercise therapists, in consultation with dietitians, pharmacists, counsellors, cardiologists and cardiac diagnostics technicians, as well as volunteers and administrative support. The program includes supervised exercise plans that are individualized for each patient, along with education classes, counseling and support.

Patients can attend the program at one of eight hospitals and community sites.

Weekly classes

Our weekly exercise classes are offered in the morning, afternoon or evening to fit your schedule. Classes are approximately 90 minutes long, and include:

• Mini-talks on heart-health topics, such as exercising in the heat or cold, and choosing the best training footwear;

• Warm-up exercises;

• Strength training using hand weights and resistance bands;

• Aerobic exercise, including walking or biking; and

• Cool-down exercises.

At each exercise class, we will supervise your exercise prescription, review your cardiac risk factors and monitor your progress. Our cardiovascular rehab team provides you with weekly support, encouragement and motivation for heart-healthy living.

Our sites

We have multiple sites across the region so that patients can participate in cardiovascualar rehab at a location that is convenient for where they live or work. Services are standardized across all sites. 

Scarborough

Rouge Valley Centenary, 2867 Ellesmere Road

Pickering

Pickering Soccer Centre, 1975 Clements Road (new)

Ajax

Ajax Community Centre, 75 Centennial Road

Whitby

Abilities Centre, 55 Gordon Street

Oshawa

Oshawa Civic Complex, 99 Thornton Road South

Oshawa Legends Centre, 1661 Harmony Road North

Bowmanville

Bowmanville Indoor Soccer Complex, 2375 Baseline Road West

Cobourg

Cobourg Community Centre, 750 D'Arcy Street

YMCA Northumberland, 339 Elgin Street West

Port Perry

Scugog Community Recreation Centre, 1655 Reach Street

Lindsay

Ross Memorial Hospital, 10 Angeline Street North

Peterborough

Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Drive (new)

Campbellford

Hastings Field House, 97 Elgin Street (new)

How to join

Give us a call

For questions or to learn more about our cardiovascular rehabilitation services, please contact the regional program at (toll free) 1-855-448-5471 or at 416-281-7022.

Send in your referral

To participate in cardiovascular rehab at one of our sites, you will need a referral from your physician, which can be faxed to 416-281-7280.

Download regional cardiovascular rehabilitation referral form.

Contact

Lakeridge Health Oshawa