 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Dori S. Hutchinson, ScD and Alexandra Bowers, MPH, MSW. Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 940 Commonwealth Ave WEst, Boston, MA 02215, 671-353-3549, dorih@bu.edu
This presentation will describe an innovative wellness program at Boston University's Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation designed to address the significant co-morbidity issues in persons with serious mental illness. The Recovery Center, which is partially funded by the National Institute of Disability and REhabilitation Research, uses an adult education model to assist people with serious mental illness to strengthen and broaden their knowledge and skills of traditional and innovative wellness practices that may support their treatment and rehabilitation process. The presentation will overview the holistic health interventions and courses and describe their clinical impact. Interventions include: taichi, yoga, chi kung, reiki, mindfulness meditation, supported fitness, sexuality and intimacy, living well seminars and nutritional courses. The presentation will briefly describe the five year process and outcome study underway and highlight preliminary data on outcomes of functioning, symptoms, physical health and quality of life. Participants will be engaged in a discussion of the intergration of wellness interventions into clinical settings. As the co-morbidity and mortality rates rise and interfere with successful treatment and rehabilitation outcomes, knowledge of effective alternative wellness interventions are essential for clinicians and health care providers.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Sever Mental Illness, Health Promotion
Related Web page: www.bu.edu/rc
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.