too late to change one’s lifestyle to prevent continued cardiac problems. Improving overall quality of life and preventing heart failure exacerbation and hospital readmissions are the goals of Torrance Memorial’s Heart Failure Program. A multidisciplinary team of physicians and nurses, pharmacists and social workers helps patients both in and out of the hospital develop a tailored, customized lifestyle plan. The team equips the patient and family with the resources needed to transition safely back home. They provide education and support in heart failure and medication management using personalized education, resource materials and support groups for emotional well-being. As it was in Kushner’s case, the patient’s family often plays a vital role in supporting the patient’s return to health. The program gives the family tools to help the patient with heart failure. Torrance Memorial’s Heart Failure Program, which is made possible through the Richard and Melanie Lundquist Cardiovascular Institute, received the Gold award in both 2012 and 2013, a top honor given by the American Heart Association for adhering to their Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure program. Change is difficult for most of us.
Whether we want to lose weight, quit smoking or start exercising, it requires significant motivation. “You can’t really motivate people; you have to help them find their own motivation,” says Carlton. Kushner was a patient who found his own motivation and worked very hard to return to a functioning and independent lifestyle. He now walks his dog twice a day for several miles and participates in a Pilates class in his community. For some patients, the Heart Failure Program may help extend their life long enough for family to spend more time with them before saying goodbye. Roxanna Balter, nurse practitioner and manager of the Heart Failure Program, remembers receiving a thank-you letter from a former patient’s daughter. The daughter attributes Torrance Memorial to extending her mother’s life an extra year and a half—long enough for her to develop more memories with Mom and say goodbye. Heart failure may not always be obvious. A patient may present with other symptoms, but since heart failure is very prevalent, nurses in all departments at Torrance Memorial are provided with heart failure education. “Even women after delivering babies can go into heart failure. You have to treat the whole patient. You can’t just treat their fractured hip
or postpartum issues,” explai ??
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