b'CONCORCDO H H ASNPNITAALL A RATFI| OA IA A CACCRHEIDEVTEAMTEIO S 71NOCSOPRIDTALO URNENPUOARLTRE|P O F L I ATCIHNRS TANBDL E I NNTPhotoD. St Laurent / Concord HospitalThe Smart Heart Meal Program made a difference in Jeffs life.Last spring, Jeff Johns of Webster wasdiet as well as a supply of healthy meals.The SMART Heart Meals program is an rushed to Concord Hospital after heHe was sent home with three days ofimportant way Concord Hospital awoke one morning and could low-sodium meals and receivedresponded to a Community Health barely breathe.deliveries of 30 days of meals at no costNeeds Assessment in which community He was diagnosed with congestiveas part of SMART Hearts goal ofmembers pointed to a need to focus on heart failure (CHF). His body was filledreducing the number of CHF patientshealthy behaviors. with extra fluid that was clogging hisreadmitted to the Hospital within 30The program, funded through charitable lungs and his heart was pumping atdays of discharge.grants, educates all CHF patients about only a third of its capacity dramatic- Pre-COVID-19, Meals on Wheels driverslow-sodium food options and provides a ally lowering the amount of oxygenand Concord Regional Visiting Nursecookbook of recipes that can help avoid being circulated to his organs. Association (VNA) nurses helpedthe fluid buildup (congestion) that I had a couple of bouts where I wouldmonitor SMART Heart patientoccurs when the heart is not pumping wake up and couldnt breathe, Jeffconditions in person, to help them stickas well as it should. Jeff said the said. I was drowning in fluid. with their diet and keep them at homeeducation, healthy food options and hisnot in the Hospital. Under COVID-19own determination to stick with the During a week of Hospital care, Jeffsafety protocol, Jeffs meals wererecommendations have kept him healthy. shed 35 pounds of excess fluid withdelivered with no in-person contactIt has been effective in helping me medication, a low-sodium diet andand the VNA appointments switched tomaintain my weight, and I havent had fluid restrictions. Jeffs care didnt stopphone sessions. But the programany heart or breathing issues, Jeff said. when he was discharged. Throughworked. Jeff stayed well enough toOnce they saw it was working, it was Concord Hospitals SMART Heart Mealsavoid another Hospital visit. up to me to maintain it and thats what program, he received helpfulI have been doing. information about his condition andThey got me on the right track, he said.'