Rebecca Mountain helped
develop the CCH support program.
Savoring the results of healthy cooking.
For many living with heart failure, their greatest challenges begin after they’re discharged from the hospital. More than 20 percent are readmitted within 30 days, according to the American College of Cardiology. That number jumps to nearly 50 percent after six months, with an average hospitalization cost of around $9,000 per patient.
Enter Chester County Hospital’s Living With Heart Failure support group, which formed in the summer of 2018. “We know that those who practice good self-care will have a better chance of doing well at home and having fewer hospital readmissions. We also know that many aren’t as consistent with their self-care as they need to be,” said Rebecca Mountain, DNP, RN, Heart Failure coordinator for CCH. “A support group can help by exposing them to further education about how to take care of themselves.”
Mountain developed the program with Susan Pizzi, MS, RN, the hospital’s coordinator for Community Health Education, and oversees the group, which is open to both heart failure patients living in the area and their caregivers.
Forging a new relationship with food
Mountain said that most difficult part, though, is sticking with the “very strict,” low sodium diet. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 1,500mg of sodium per day — and that’s for everyone, not only those living with heart failure. The average American adult, however, eats more than 3,400mg of sodium daily! To that end, Mountain invited the American Heart Association (AHA) to partner with the hospital in presenting the support group. The AHA provided group members with low-sodium cookbooks, weekly medication organizer boxes, automated blood pressure cuffs, and scales. Sudden weight gain in this population could indicate fluid retention. The AHA also placed greater emphasis on the diet. For example, in December and February, a chef led the group through a cooking demonstration using only low-sodium ingredients. At the end of the meeting, everyone was given a 13-pound box of fresh produce to take home with them, along with some easy recipes.
Beyond the self-care guidance, the support group also fosters a sense of community. Heart failure can be an isolating disease that limits a patient’s interactions to doctors and caregivers. By simply being around others in a similar situation, opportunities arise to feel a little more connected. And the group has become closer-knit, Mountain said. “It can take a while for that type of environment to develop, so it’s been heartwarming to see.”
To learn more about the program, call 610-738-2300.