The Effects of an Exercise Empowerment Programme for Older Patients With Heart Failure: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Patients with heart failure have decreased exercise tolerance, balance problems, and fall risks. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of an exercise program based on the Empowerment Model for participants with heart failure. This randomized, controlled study including pre-test/post-test and the measurements were performed between January-November 2014 at a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Intervention group (n = 11) and control group (n = 10) participated in the research. The intervention group received 45-60 minute individual training and 12 weeks of individual follow-up. The weekly motivational phone calls structured according to the empowerment model and home visits when necessary were repeated. Patients in the control group did not receive any intervention except for their routine treatment. Data were collected before the education of exercise and after 12 weeks; sociodemographic data questionnaire, pedometer, accelerometer, Berg Balance Scale, HF Empowerment Scale, estimated weekly exercise monitoring form and exercise booklet had been utilised. The SPSS statistical package program was used to analyze the data.