The realities of home-exercise by elderly patients with heart failure

Abstract

[Purpose] To devise an effective exercise instruction method for elderly patients with heart failure (HF), we investigated the status of home-exercise practice. [Subjects] Ninety-three HF patients aged 75 years or older who received exercise instruction from a physical therapist during hospitalization. [Method] The questionnaires were mailed to the ninety-three subjects and replies were obtained from fifty-four. The questionnaire consisted of questions about: the behavior change stage about the exercise, recognition of the necessity of the exercise, problems with exercising, the terms of use of medical care after discharge, and health-related quality of life. [Result] Seventy-seven percent of the respondents recognized the necessity of the exercise and sixty-four percent of the respondents actually exercised. However, the instructions for exercise programs were not utilized enough. [Conclusion] The review of exercise programs according to physical condition is necessary for elderly HF patients after discharge.