Feasibility of the Heart to Heart Yoga Program in Patients With Heart Failure and Caregivers

Heart2Heart Intervention. In this study, the Heart to Heart Yoga intervention is a therapeutic and standardized form of yoga intervention that is adapted from MediYoga designed to fit the needs of patients with heart failure (HF) and family caregivers who may have physical limitations and to fit cultural and social norms in Kentucky. The Heart to Heart Yoga intervention key personnel include two primary investigators, two professional yoga instructors, and one PhD student who are all nurses and were certified Medi-Yoga instructor Level 1 by completing more than 120 hours of Medi-yoga training course for medical professionals. The intervention will use a gradual, physical/ psychological yoga adaptation approach, and it will be delivered two times per week (40 -60 minutes per session) via videoconference technology for 12 weeks (total 24 sessions). Real-time, face-to-face, video conferencing technology is used. In the recent systematic literature review, yoga has been delivered for 12 weeks in patients with HF. The the12-week duration was selected in this study by considering variations of individual adaptation and available evidence in the literature. Yoga sessions will be delivered by two registered nurses who were yoga instructors and certified MediYoga instructors.

The 12-weeks of intervention include three structured sessions. At each session, the first part will focus on deep breathing (5- 11 minutes), followed by physical posture movement (3 -11 minutes), and then meditation (6 -11 minutes), based on the structured gradual adaptation program. Participants will be instructed to modify movements to ensure comfort and safety. For example, if a participant is more comfortable seated in a chair instead of the floor, the instructor will demonstrate exercise modification while ensuring target muscles are utilized. All sessions will be delivered as group sessions using a video-conferencing program on a digital multimedia device. Each week, three yoga sessions are available to allow participants flexibility in attendance. The intervention group also receives a short-video clip each week (up to 10 minutes) and recommend to follow to practice yoga for 10 minutes per day, and a total of 50 minutes per week while not attending sessions. Participants will record practice time in a Yoga log booklet.

The investigators will limit the number of participants up to 10 at each session by monitoring enrollment rates. Participants will also receive materials that include yoga poses guides and mats. Without explicit skill demonstration and training, the intervention group will receive the printed information and links to the AHA's Life's Simple 7 program.

Usual Care Group. Participants in the usual care group will also receive the printed information and links to the AHA's Life's Simple 7 program without explicit skills and training, including education and stress management. Stress management will be encouraged by watching and practicing yoga programs by providing a yoga mat.