Abstract: Objective To develop an intervention program focusing on exercise behavior and exercise content for elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and frailty, and to preliminarily verify its effectiveness. Methods An exercise intervention program was developed through evidence-based literature review and expert consultation. A single-group pre-post controlled study was conducted among 20 elderly CHF patients with frailty. The frailty level, physical function, quality of life, depression, and exercise self-efficacy before intervention and 1 month and 3 months after intervention were recorded and compared. Results The intervention program consisted of three dimensions—exercise knowledge, exercise self-efficacy, and social support. The 20 patients had a mean age of 71.16±6.94 years, and 11 cases were male. After 1 month of intervention, patients showed no significant improvements in frailty scores, physical function, depression, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life (P>0.05). After 3 months of intervention, statistically significant differences were observed in patients’ frailty scores, physical function, and depression levels compared with those before the intervention (P<0.05). During the intervention period, 15 patients (75%) completed exercise logs, no exercise-related adverse events occurred, and 2 patients(10%) were rehospitalized within 3 months after discharge. Conclusions This intervention program can improve patients’ exercise awareness and may contribute to improvements in frailty status, physical function, and depression levels, thereby providing a reference for exercise management in elderly patients with CHF and frailty.

Key words: aged, heart failure, frailty, exercise, behaviour, self-efficacy