Long Branch, NJ – – In recognition of American Heart Month, RWJBarnabas Health is celebrating the dedication of its Heart and Vascular care teams and the remarkable recoveries of their patients. Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) recently hosted a reunion for Larry Steward, 85, of Long Branch, highlighting the transformative impact of comprehensive cardiac care.
Mr. Steward’s journey began with multiple hospital admissions for chronic heart failure and falls. He entered the Healthy Lives Program at MMC in , a program designed to closely monitor patients with heart failure and COPD, aiming to reduce hospital readmissions. Denise Yaman, Healthy Lives Program Coordinator, described the initial challenges. “He and his wife were quite overwhelmed with the medications and care he required at home, as he was very debilitated and needed assistance with his activities of daily living,” she said.
The Healthy Lives program stabilized Mr. Steward, revealing the need for open-heart surgery, which he underwent at Robert Wood University Hospital in New Brunswick in . Following surgery, he was referred to cardiac rehabilitation.
The road to recovery wasn’t easy. “It was definitely a slow-go at first because of his generalized weakness after a very difficult year,” Yaman explained. “He would require a wheelchair to get from the front door and registration to Healthy Lives. He now can walk to us from Registration without any issues. He has come a long way for sure.”
Cardiac rehabilitation played a crucial role in Mr. Steward’s progress. Patti Ostrander-Coffey, nurse manager for Cardiac Rehabilitation, detailed his initial condition upon entering the program: “Larry arrived for his first evaluation for Cardiopulmonary Rehab in a wheelchair and using two liters of oxygen. He was quite deconditioned upon arrival, but as he progressed through the program, he was using less oxygen.”
Over time, Mr. Steward transitioned from a walker to a cane, and eventually, to walking independently. The program addressed not only physical health but also emotional well-being. “Larry and his wife Carol made his health a priority,” Ostrander-Coffey noted. “They started to make improvements in his diet and embracing the core components of our program that address depression, quality of life, nutrition, and educate patients to be better advocates for their health.”
By the completion of the program, Mr. Steward was walking without assistance, had joined the maintenance phase of the program, and no longer required supplemental oxygen. His depression screening scores, nutritional assessment, and overall quality-of-life scores all showed significant improvement. Ostrander-Coffey emphasized the social benefits as well: “He still comes three days a week, and he has bonded with other patients who come at the same times. They sing and laugh together. they made exercising more enjoyable. It has been such a great transformation to witness by the staff members in the department. Larry has gotten his life back thanks to Healthy Lives and Cardiac Rehab at MMC. He is an absolute pleasure to have in our program.”
The reunion, held on , was particularly special as Mr. And Mrs. Steward were also celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. They gathered with members of the Healthy Lives and Cardiac Rehab teams, as well as Dr. Issac Tawfik, Chief of Cardiology at MMC, and Mr. Steward’s cardiologist, Dr. David Anwar, to cut a celebratory cake.
This patient reunion is part of a systemwide celebration by RWJBarnabas Health recognizing the lifesaving and lifechanging care provided by its Heart and Vascular teams throughout American Heart Month. The Healthy Lives Program focuses on intensive monitoring of patients with heart failure and COPD to minimize hospital readmissions, while Cardiac Rehabilitation provides a structured exercise and education program to help patients recover and improve their quality of life.
Individuals interested in learning more about RWJBarnabas Health Heart and Vascular Services can visit rwjbh.org/heart.
