ROCKPORT and BELFAST — MaineHealth Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals have expanded their cardiac rehabilitation services with a new prevention program designed for people at risk of developing heart disease. This program gives participants an opportunity to take a proactive approach to protecting their heart health.

While traditional cardiac rehab supports people with stable angina or those who have had a heart attack, heart surgery, angioplasty or stent placement, the Cardiac Rehab Prevention program is tailored for people who have not experienced a cardiac event but may be at increased risk due to diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, a sedentary lifestyle or tobacco use.

The 3-month program offers a structured, supportive environment designed to promote both physical and mental well-being. Sessions include education, individualized treatment plans, guided exercise, nutrition consultation with a registered dietitian, tobacco cessation support and ongoing guidance from a professional healthcare team with more than 50 years of experience, from emergency care to intensive care.

“Unlike a traditional gym, this environment provides a cerebral piece. No matter the question, we can answer it or find the right answer,” said Joel Paredes, manager of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation at MaineHealth Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals, in a news release. “In this program, we remove barriers by providing supervised sessions, care and feedback in a safe, professional healthcare setting. It’s a low-pressure educational approach that respects patients’ time and focuses on building long-term habits. Once you access us, we invest in you.”

Paredes emphasized prevention is “the best medicine” for heart health. Research shows that just two hours of physical activity per week can reduce frailty, improve brain function and, through this holistic approach, significantly lower the likelihood of hospitalization.

“Our goal is to meet patients where they are and help them get to where they want to go,” said Paredes. “Whether someone wants to feel stronger for daily activities or to prepare for hobbies like hiking, we tailor the program to resonate with what matters to them.”

This new Cardiac Rehab Prevention program builds on MaineHealth’s existing cardiac rehab offerings in Rockport and Belfast as part of their ongoing expansion of services for the community, which includes Phase II and, over the past year, the newly introduced Phase III program.

“Cardiac rehab is based on the idea that exercise is a form of medicine,” said Paredes.

Patients are referred to the program after experiencing a cardiac event, such as heart attack. They may begin with Phase I, which happens in the hospital immediately after the event, or they may start with Phase II after they’ve been discharged from the hospital.

In Phase II, patients attend up to two class sessions in the cardiac rehab gym per day, with a maximum of four sessions per week. Supported by a team of nurses, participants work toward a goal of regaining their pre-cardiac event level of physical fitness, or better yet, improving it. Each session includes up to 45 minutes of exercise.

After patients have “graduated” from Phase II, typically after 36 sessions, patients can begin Phase III, which allows them to continue to use the cardiac rehab gym independently while maintaining and building on their cardiac fitness.

The cost for the Cardiac Rehab Prevention program is $90 per month, which includes up to three one-hour sessions per week. Phase III is $45 a month. A referral is required for all programs. Talk with your provider about what Cardiac Rehab program is right for you.

For more information, call MaineHealth Cardiac Rehab Rockport at 301-8989 or MaineHealth Cardiac Rehab Belfast at 505-4745.

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include Maine General Health in Augusta and Waterville and St. Mary's Health System in Lewiston. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.