Father and Son Share Journey Through Cardiac Rehab

At OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital and Ohio University's heart and vascular rehabilitation center, HeartWorks, two generations of the Jones family experienced the firsthand the benefits of cardiac rehab.

Walter Jones, 84, had his first a heart attack in 2009. Initially treated with heart stents in Columbus, he was advised to join a rehabilitation program. That’s how he found HeartWorks, and committed to its 12-week program designed to help him regain his health and get back to his daily routine.

“I’ve been through the drill here,” Walter told The Athens Messenger. “It’s a great crew and they take good care of you; and put everything on a personal basis. I know it’s all professional staff as far as that goes, but you get, for 36 sessions, you get to know everybody pretty well.”

Walter’s health journey hasn’t been straightforward– he’s had two more stents, open-heart surgery and another procedure since his initial visit. But HeartWorks has been a consistent source of support.

In January of this year, Walter’s son Greg, 58, suffered a heart attack and underwent double bypass surgery. Following his recovery, Greg chose HeartWorks for his rehab, inspired by his father’s positive experience and the program’s strong reputation, he said.

“I would recommend it to anybody that has any cardiac problems period,” Greg said. “You know, whether it’s stents or a bypass open heart surgery, heart attack, you know anything. There for a while I kind of missed it because … I would go to work in the morning, come up here for my session in the afternoon and then go back to work and finish the day out but, when you leave here, I was pumped up ready to go.”

The facility offers a range of equipment including recumbent steppers, treadmills, recumbent ellipticals and weights. The recumbent equipment can be particularly helpful for patients who may experience pain with traditional standing exercises. The HeartWorks program operates on a 12-week calendar, with three session per week, including individual exercises and group activities, all under careful supervision.

“For people like Walter and Greg who complete the program, they really see a lot of positive changes,” said Megan Beatty, director of HeartWorks. “We really do get a lot of great feedback.”

To learn more about cardiac rehabilitation at OhioHealth, click here.