Long-term Exercise in Older Cardiac Patients

consists of a series of five small-group (six to eight people) education sessions provided in three 1.5 -hour sessions once a week during the last three weeks of the CRP and in two sessions held at one and two months following completion of their CRP. An experienced cardiac nurse or exercise physiologist trained in the intervention protocol taught each of the sessions. In a series of structured activities, participants were taught to use behavior change strategies consistent with the respective intervention models. A series of three monthly booster calls were made during months four, five and six following the last intervention class and individuals were coached in the use of strategies consistent with the respective interventions.

consists of a series of five small-group (six to eight people) education sessions provided in three 1.5 -hour sessions once a week during the last three weeks of the CRP and in two sessions held at one and two months following completion of their CRP. An experienced cardiac nurse or exercise physiologist trained in the intervention protocol taught each of the sessions. In a series of structured activities, participants were taught to use behavior change strategies consistent with the respective intervention models. A series of three monthly booster calls were made during months four, five and six following the last intervention class and individuals were coached in the use of strategies consistent with the respective interventions.

Participants will receive only the routine care provided to CRP patients. This care consists of assessment of exercise capacity, graduated exercise training (consisting of exercising three times a week at the cardiac rehabilitation center on treadmill or cycle, counseling about safe exercise {warm-up procedures, pulse taking, attending to body cues for exertion levels} and advisement to exercise on days between CRP sessions). At the end of the CRP, individuals are given an exercise prescription that includes their target heart rate and they are counseled to exercise at least 5 times a week for 30 minutes. This information is provided by the CRP personnel, usually in the form of individual informal conversations during exercise at the CRP.