Take Heart & Breathe Well Program

A 12 week cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program offered in partnership with Island Health which aims to improve participants health and indedendance through exercise and education.

This community exercise program is supervised by health professionals and is designed for people with heart or lung disease and/or other chronic illnesses such as:

• Diabetes
• Lung conditions (COPD, emphysema)
• Kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Cancer
• Arthritis and joint replacements

Program structure

Lead by Sandy Gilmour, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Clinical Exercise Physiologist and registered nurse, the program includes:

• Individual assessment
• Personalized exercise plan
• Supervised group exercise sessions with educational additions as appropriate

Learn more about this program by reading the General information and FAQs document.

Fees

• Intake Assessment and Personalized Exercise Orientation: $150
• Group Exercise classes: $18/class (recommended at least 8 weeks, 2 times per week)
• Some extended medical plans cover cardiopulmonary rehabilitation
• This program is tax-deductibile as a medical expense

Registration and getting started

Step 1: Medical clearance

Participation in the program requires approval from your primary healthcare provider. If we do not have a current medical referral, use the two forms below to complete your referral.

These forms must be received before we can schedule your intake:

1. Medical Recommendations for Take Heart & Breathe Well Exercise Rehab Programs Form
   
• Click here to view form.
• To be completed by your primary healthcare provider or cardiologist and returned to our program before your first orientation.
2. Client Authorization for Release of Medical Information Form
   
• Click here to view form.
• This allows information sharing between your primary healthcare provider or other specialists and the Take Heart & Breathe Well Program. Please sign and return along with your Medical Recommendations form.

Note: some extended medical plans cover cardiopulmonary rehabilitation

Step 2: Information and consent forms

Please review, sign and bring the completed forms below to your first appointment.

1. Client Rights and Responsibilities Form
   
• Click here to view form.
• Please read, sign and bring to your orientation.
2. Consent Form
   
• Click here to view form.
• Please read, sign and bring to your orientation.

Step 3: Contact programmer to schedule intake and registration

For more information or to register, contact Lisa Banks at 250-475‑7619 or lisa.banks@saanich.ca.

Information and consent forms

• Data Collection Informed Consent Form
  
• The Take Heart & Breathe Well program is part of the International Cardiac Rehabilitation Registry (ICRR); this initiative supports knowledge, improves access to better rehabilitation care for Saanich Heart Health clients, and builds a solid database of patient outcomes. ICRR has established a secure web-based registry through York University to collect and share data on cardiovascular outpatient care and health outcomes to support world-class cardiac rehabilitation.
• General information and FAQs
• Medical Recommendations for Take Heart & Breathe Well Exercise Rehab Programs Form
• Client Authorization for Release of Medical Information Form
• Client Rights and Responsibilities Form
• Consent Form