MS Wellness Event

Note: We (CJ and Audrey) completed this capstone project together. Our wiki sites are identical, and we will respond to comments posted to either site.

Introduction

Through Multiple Sclerosis Standardized Training and Education Program with University Partners (MS STEP UP), we have developed a passion for working with people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We wanted our capstone project to give back to the community that has helped us grow the last two years.

Our dream capstone would be to establish an ongoing wellness program for individuals with MS. Unfortunately, this would require extensive resources unavailable at this time, so we had to refocus our energy. For our course in Health and Wellness we created a weekend “Wellness Retreat”  for individuals who were newly diagnosed with MS. After working on this project, we realized it was a great foundation to develop a similar wellness event to reach out to individuals newly diagnosed in our area. To help build materials for such an event, we focused our Evidence Based Practice II projects on changes that occur in the early stages of MS. Evidence Table 1 Evidence Table 2

Surveying Need

Our next step was to create and distribute a Wellness Survey that would assess the need for a wellness event in the Triangle area. We were particularly curious about the educational needs of individuals with MS around the time of diagnosis. We created an eight question survey that was distributed through the National MS Society- Greater Carolinas Chapter as well as through local physical therapists. The results from the survey strongly suggested the need for more information especially related to physical activity at the time of diagnosis. Respondents also indicated an interest in learning about cognitive exercises, fatigue management and nutrition. Over 85% of respondents were “very interested”/”interested” in attending a wellness event. Over 65% of respondents had been diagnosed for over 5 years. Considering survey results and advice from our advisors, we expanded our target audience to include all individuals with MS, not just those newly diagnosed.

MS Wellness Event

We were excited that the survey results demonstrated a strong interest in a wellness event. To address the diverse areas of interest, we decided to organize a multidisciplinary wellness event.

We had great support from the community for the MS Wellness Event! We recruited an enthusiastic group of seven health and wellness professionals to share their knowledge at the event. Presentations were a combination of educational information as well as interactive activities. Fourteen participants with MS, three family members, and several community members attended the event. The half day event was held at Meadowmont Wellness Center.

Presenters Included:

• Kathy Mackintosh- Integrative Health Coach (Clear Path Health Coaching, LLC)
• Sherrie King- Tai Chi Instructor (Taoist Tai Chi Society, NC branch)
• Dr. Howie Shareff- Yoga Instructor (You Call This Yoga)
• Dr. Karla Thompson- Neuropsychologist (UNC Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
• Amber DePalma and Stephanie Veno- Speech Language Pathologists (UNC Hospitals)
• Simone Horvitz- Nutritionist (Strategic Bites)
• CJ and Audrey

We presented on individual exercise tips related to spasticity, fatigue, and balance. Presentation materials included a PowerPoint, as well as a Goals Handout and Exercise Tips Handout for each participant. We completed a Health Literacy Assessment to help appropriately create these materials. We also sought feedback from our committee members as we developed our presentation and planned the overall event.

 

Results and Reflection

We distributed evaluation feedback forms to the presenters and participants. We received very positive feedback in regards to our presentation as well as the overall event. Of the twelve participants who completed evaluations, 100% “strongly agree” they would recommend this event to other individuals with MS, and 100% “strongly agree”/”agree” that this event was beneficial and relevant to their health and wellness. After the event, many individuals contacted us to express their gratitude that we organized such an event, and their appreciation for the variety of information they learned.

For our own professional development, this was a great experience to collaborate with other professionals as well as coordinate and organize a community wellness event. Of the six presenters who completed an evaluation form, 100% “strongly agree”/”agree” that we communicated professionally, and the event itself was organized and run in a professional manner. Another important note is that all of the professionals we contacted during the recruiting process were enthusiastic about our capstone project, even if they were unable to present. Their comments validated the importance of such an event.

We hope that these positive results can be used as a pilot program to develop similar programs! There are several considerations for future programs: involve family members and caregivers, alter frequency and duration of event (e.g. quarterly, with two focused topics), increase access to information for those unable to attend the event. Additionally, such an event could also be appropriate for other neurological diagnoses.   

CMSC Poster

Earlier this year we submitted an abstract based on the preliminary results of our wellness survey to the Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). Our abstract was accepted, and we will be presenting a poster in May. The poster, “What are the Educational Needs of People with Multiple Sclerosis Shortly After Diagnosis?”, focuses on our survey results. Additionally, we highlighted the success our our pilot wellness program as a model for future development of similar programs.

Acknowledgements

We are very appreciative of everyone who helped us make this capstone possible! A huge thank you to our advisor Prue Plummer who has guided us this entire year, our committee members Prue, Kaye Gooch, Liz Waddell, and Erica Gaskins for providing suggestions and feedback throughout, everyone who helped spread the word about our event, Jamy McGee and Susan Chesser at UNC Meadowmont Wellness Center, all of the presenters, and all the participants at the wellness event. This event would not have been a success without all of you!