Key result
Remote CR improves older adults' functional capacity and QoL but requires adaptations for successful engagement.
Why the study?
To analyze recent developments in remote cardiac rehabilitation for older adults, review clinical effectiveness outcomes, and discuss implementation strategies targeted at this population.
Do virtual and remote cardiac rehabilitation programs improve functional capacity and quality of life in older adults?
Do virtual and remote cardiac rehabilitation programs improve functional capacity and quality of life in older adults?
Virtual and remote cardiac rehabilitation models offer viable secondary prevention for older adults but require intentional adaptation to address barriers such as digital literacy and patient engagement.
May support adapted remote programs for older adults; leaves open confirmation of benefits in randomized trials.
Purpose of Review To present and analyze recent developments in remote cardiac rehabilitation for older adults, review outcomes data regarding clinical effectiveness of these modalities, and discuss implementation strategies targeted at older adults. Recent Findings Data from recent studies enrolling older adults into remote cardiac rehabilitation programs have yielded mixed results with some showing encouraging improvements in functional capacity and quality of life comparable to those obtained with center-based rehabilitation programs. Studies that showed no improvement in outcomes identified decreased patient engagement as an important driver of results. This underscores the importance of adapting remote cardiac rehabilitation programs to the intended population and consider factors such as digital literacy that are relevant to older adults and critical for successful implementation of cardiac rehabilitation programs. Summary Virtual and remote cardiac rehabilitation models continue to evolve and are important programs for providing secondary prevention for older adults but require an intentional approach when adapting for clinical practice.
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Slone et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease. Virtual and remote cardiac rehabilitation vs. Center-based cardiac rehabilitation or usual care was evaluated. Virtual and remote cardiac rehabilitation models provide an important alternative for older adults, showing potential for comparable functional improvements to center-based programs despite challenges with digital literacy and patient engagement.
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