Healthy Heart

Medically guided exercise and education for people managing heart disease.

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Healthy Heart

Program Description

The YMCA Healthy Heart program has been supporting heart health in the community since 1976. This is a crucial cardiac prevention, rehabilitation, and maintenance program designed to support people living with cardiac risk through expert education and medically supervised exercise.

Ongoing
Free
Group Program
Y Membership Required: No
Healthy Heart
Program overview

The YMCA Healthy Heart program provides a structured, monitored exercise and education for individuals who are at risk of, recovering from, or managing cardiovascular disease. It is a community-based program and helps you manage, prevent, and recover from cardiac conditions.

All participants have access to the expertise of Clinical Exercise Physiologists and the Medical Director, Cardiologist Dr. Benny Lau, for consultation regarding specific health questions or issues.

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We offer two distinct pathways to ensure you receive the level of oversight that is right for your unique health status and needs:

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  1. ‍YMCA Healthy Heart at Home: a medically managed, fully virtual cardiac rehab exercise program
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  2. YMCA Healthy Heart Maintenance: a non-medically managed, in-person, group-fitness-style class for individuals who prefer in-person fitness programming and whose health is stable and no longer requires medical oversight
Program benefits
  • Nutrition: Free one-on-one nutrition consultations with the Program Dietitian (max 4 per year)
  • Education: Free educational and social webinars on Zoom, plus a monthly e-newsletter
  • Resources: Access to Y@Home+, which gives participants access to on-demand videos for all fitness levels and ages as well as other great health and wellbeing resources
  • Virtual Check-ins: Healthy Heart at Home participants receive phone/email check-ins monthly
  • Clinical Support: Consultations with Clinical Exercise Physiologists and Medical Director Dr. Benny Lau for specific health questions
Program eligibility
  • Cardiovascular patients and those at risk of developing heart disease; aged 19 and over
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  • Kindly note:
    • Healthy Heart at Home is a medically supervised program and requires clearance before participation. Participants CANNOT self-refer. You must be referred by your physician and approved through an intake appointment with the Medical Director
    • Healthy Heart Maintenance is not a medically managed program a physician’s referral is not required. However potential participants must get a clearance letter from their physician
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  • Doctor Referral: For Healthy Heart at Home, please have your doctor fill out and fax the required Physician Referral Form and any relevant medical files to 604-521-3242
  • Once referred, you will go through an intake appointment with the Medical Director, Dr. Benny Lau, to ensure the program is medically safe and suitable
Program schedule
  • The program offers two options based on your health status and preference:

    • Healthy Heart at Home
      • Mode: Virtual
      • Classes: - 2x per week on Zoom
      • Fee: $80/month + $30 one-time intake fee
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    • Healthy Heart Maintenance
      • Mode: In-person
      • Classes: - 2x per week
      • Locations:
        • Coquitlam's Bettie Allard YMCA,
        • Tong Louie Family YMCA in Surrey,
        • Port Moody Recreation Centre
      • Fee:  YMCA locations: $90/month (does not include membership)
      • Fee: Port Moody location: $70/month (does not include membership) + $30 one time intake fee
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  • Financial assistance is available. Please contact 604-521-5801 for any further questions

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Healthy Heart
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Supporting Documents

Program guides and policies

Healthy Heart at Home - Referral Form

For Healthy Heart at Home (medically managed) program.

Healthy Heart Maintenance - Clearance Form

For Healthy Heart Maintenance (non-medically managed) program.

Program FAQs

Find answers to common questions about our program below.

Can I join the Healthy Heart program without a doctor's referral?

No, participants cannot self-refer. Healthy Heart is a medically supervised program. You must first talk to your doctor and have them fill out and fax the necessary Physician Referral Form or, for the Maintenance class, the Medical Clearance Form to ensure it is safe and suitable for you to participate.

What kind of medical oversight is included in the program?

All participants are supported by Clinical Exercise Physiologists and the Medical Director, Cardiologist Dr. Benny Lau. Those in the Healthy Heart at Home stream receive medically monitored exercise classes. Those in the Maintenance class receive classes led by an experienced Exercise Leader but without direct medical oversight.

Who is the program designed for, and where can I participate?

The program is for individuals residing in BC who are at risk of, recovering from, or managing cardiovascular disease. We offer two streams: 

  1. Healthy Heart at Home: Fully virtual, accessible via Zoom.
  2. Healthy Heart Maintenance: A Hybrid format with in-person sessions at select YMCA and community centres (Surrey, Coquitlam, Port Moody).

What extra resources are included in the program fee?

All participants receive a monthly e-newsletter, access to pre-recorded exercise videos, and free invitations to educational and social webinars and Dietitian workshops. You can also book free one-on-one nutrition consultations with the Program Dietitian (up to four per year).

When you join the YMCA you join more than a gym. You join a community.