Associazione ISES

Physical activity in patients with CHD: a collaborative partnership to identify and share good practices among European countries

According to the ERASMUS+ SPORT programme, “TAKE HEART” project objective will be:

• promote social inclusion, equal opportunities and awareness of the importance of health-enhancing physical activity, through increased participation in, and equal access to sport for all.

“TAKE HEART” project will transfer and implement innovative practices at European, national, but also at regional and local levels.

In particular, the project, by means of its activities will:

• support the implementation of the EU Physical Activity Guidelines, to encourage participation in sport and physical activity.

For the participating organisations, “TAKE HEART” project will aim to:

• increase capacity and professionalism to work at EU/international level: improved management competences and internationalisation strategies;
• reinforce cooperation with partners from other countries;
• increase allocation of financial resources (other than EU funds) to organise EU/international projects in the field of sport;
• increase quality in the preparation, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of EU/international sport projects; increased capacities to encourage citizens to participate in sport and health enhancing physical activity and to involve those who are at risk of social exclusion;
• a more dynamic, committed and professional environment inside the organisation: ready to integrate good practices and new methods into daily activities; open to synergies with organisations active in different fields or in other socio-economic sectors; promoting the socio-educational development of professionals and volunteers in sport, in line with European policy objectives in the sport field.

At systemic level, TAKE HEART project will expect to contribute to the development of the European dimension in physical activity for all, in line with the general objective of the Programme in the sport field.

From an individual's perspective, “TAKE HEART” project will engage patients and will motivate them to perform CR and to maintain an high adherence to physical activity programs and therefore to increased levels of participation in sport and physical activity.

CR programs are frequently unavailable and underutilized resources. Not only CR is generally under-resourced, despite the well known positive effects and the long term cost-effectiveness, but physician training in exercise physiology, nutrition and behavioural management is limited. Many countries now recognise the importance of CR programs but struggle to raise the requisite funding. Even when funding is available, there remains a lack of applicable resources and acceptance among physicians, patients, and their families. In countries where resource and training assistance has been provided, CR programs have been successful. Successful programs have significant community development implications because patients will come back to working activities and to a full life.

The project objectives will be achieved on one hand with the improvement of physicians and trainers knowledge and on the other hand with the increase of awareness and acceptance by patients and their families.

For more information, please send an e-mail to: info@associazioneises.org