Transcript Slide 1

Partners in
Active
Living for
Seniors
Age Well Network
Mankato, Minnesota
Shirley Murray, MS, LISW
Pam Determan, MS
Mary Visser, PhD
PALS Program
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Targets older adults (>65) atrisk for early nursing home
placement
EnhanceFitness® exercise
program
 3 classes/week
 3 sites, 5 different classes
 4, 10 week sessions/yr
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Peer support from trained
volunteers and students
Transportation to and from
classes at 3 sites
Age Well Network and PALS Program
Grant funding from:
Minnesota Department of Human
Services
Community Service/Service Development
2006-2008
Mankato Age Well Network
Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging
VINE Faith in Action
Blue Earth County Community Health
City of Mankato Housing Department
Lake Crystal Area Recreation Center
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Departments of Human Performance, Sociology and Corrections, Psychology,
Gerontology Program, and the College of Allied Health and Nursing
Timeline for program
► Applied
for grant:
 February 2006
► Grant
awarded:
 June 2006
► 1st
10 week session started:
 October 2, 2006
► Last
session ended:
 August 17, 2007
► 2nd
year begins:
 September 10, 2007
Developing the Network
► Identifying
Partners
 Who to invite in and when to do it
 Openness vs. manageability
► Expectations
and Boundaries
 Clarity
 Negotiation and Flexibility
► Relationship
Building and Change over Time
 Roles and Partners change
 Importance of Trust, Integrity, Problem-solving
PALS Partner Roles
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Planning and oversight
 All partners though monthly meetings
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Fiscal Agent
 MN River Area Agency on Aging
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Screening for participants
 BECCH staff, VINE Faith in Action staff
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Assignment and monitoring of exercise PALS (volunteers)
 VINE Faith in Action staff, MSU Sociology
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Oversight for EF classes, training of leaders, administration
of physical assessments, SF-36
 MSU Human Performance
 PALS GA (MSU)
 City of Mankato Housing
The Role of a PAL
► One-to-one
PALS
 Meet partner with individuals to encourage
attendance at classes
 May attend class with their PAL
► General
class PALS
 Higher functioning, regularly attending
participants who have completed at least 1
session
 Greet people, take attendance, assist with
weights, encourage people
Nursing Oversight
►Lends
credibility.
►Conducts and supervises volunteer
nurses providing initial health
screening.
►Answers participant questions
related to exercise and specific
health concerns.
►Sends letter to physician to ensure
the safety of participant with
increased activity levels.
►Teaches healthy living habits –
diet, falls prevention, medication
management etc.
Transportation
► Rides
provided 3x/wk for 30 of the 105
participants in summer session.
► Both paid drivers and volunteers are utilized
► Bus rides have fostered support and
friendships.
EnhanceFitness® Program
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Comprehensive, all-around program
 Comprehensive screening – more than EF requires
 Warm-up, balance and mobility, aerobic section, strength training,
flexibility, cool-down
► Can
be performed seated or standing
 Wrist and ankle weights, barbells (strength)
► Exercises
target muscle involved in ADLs
 Embedded assessments
► Senior
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Fitness Test (Rikli and Jones)
Well-trained Exercise Leaders – 1 or 2/class
 Degree in area or nationally-recognized fitness certification
 Positive and professional attitude
 CPR/AED certified
Outcomes to date
► Improved
performance on SFT
 There is a ceiling effect with performance on the
measures
► Enhanced reported quality of life
► Numerous anecdotal evidence of
(SF-36)
improved
function
► Class “bonding” and development of social
networks
 Trips to ballgames, State Fair, informal visiting
 Social aspects enhanced by special events
► Joke
Friday, holiday celebrations, special clothing days (hats,
colors)
Challenges Faced
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Communication with participants
 Most not computer users
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2 of 3 facilities all purpose, not
designed for activity
 Set up and take down
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On-going screening of new
referrals
Spreading the word
 Flier to local physicians
 VINE Newsletter
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Weather and “snowbirds”
Organization and dissemination of
results
Challenges Faced
Where are we now?
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Strategic planning for second
year
 Expansion to new sites?
 Outreach to other population
groups not currently served?
► Hispanic,
Hmong, Somali, males
 Establish self-sufficiency
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“Bridge” program for higher
function graduates of EF classes
 Where do they go if they are able
to do more PA?
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Identifying and training older
adult EF leaders
 Recruit and train peers
Partners in Active
Living for Seniors
Age Well
Network,
Mankato
Minnesota
Partners in
Active
Living for
Seniors
Age Well Network
Mankato, Minnesota