Planted in 2019, the BC Brain Wellness Program is thriving like a well-tended garden.
It has been just over a year since we officially opened our doors, and our goal of establishing a provincial network of wellness has been met with enthusiasm from participants, volunteers and the health community. In October 2019, we launched the program, collaborating with numerous disciplines at UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health. The first year has been a resounding success and has laid the foundation for a significant and sustained impact for people living with a brain condition, their care partners and healthy agers.
Over the fall and winter, we customized the Jack and Darlene Poole Gymnasium at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre gym and introduced our participants to fitness programming and built community through the music and wellness programs at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health.
For many, fitness was the starting point of their journey. Working with our instructors at the gym, participants began to see the difference that physical activity in a supportive setting could have on their well-being. For others, it was gathering around the piano to create music and friendships or attending one of our wellness lectures in the amphitheatre. Participating in our classes became a priority, and we were honoured to be given their trust and confidence and be a part of their wellness experience.
In March, the world changed due to the spread of COVID-19, and we succeeded to rapidly move to an entirely virtual program for the start of the spring term in April. Not only were we able to overcome the challenges, but we grew the program in a number of classes, user base and geographical reach. Feedback from the community revealed that our program had become a lifeline during the pandemic.
As physicians, we are grateful to be able to provide holistic care options to our patients to complement our traditional medical approach.
With your support, the BC Brain Wellness Program has flourished and continues to grow.
With immense gratitude,
- Silke and Jack
Background
The BC Brain Wellness Program’s goal is to establish a provincial network of wellness programs to support people living with chronic brain disorders, their care partners, and healthy agers. By combining clinical care with interventions that support healthier lifestyles, the team strives to improve and sustain quality of life for people living with brain disorders and their care partners, as well as offer healthy agers the opportunity to enhance their well-being and engage in preventative lifestyle measures. We aim to empower participants to take action and improve their health.
The BC Brain Wellness Program is an interactive effort that brings together the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic at UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health across three primary areas: Program delivery, Education and Research. Expertise is drawn from the Schools of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Music, and Kinesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosciences, Counselling, Nutrition, amongst others, and several community partners.
BC BRAIN WELLNESS PROGRAM TEAM
The BC Brain Wellness Program team was founded by Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell and Dr. Jack Taunton and supported by a recently hired full-time Research Program Manager, Dr. Matthew Sacheli, who leads the daily operation and development of the program. A diverse and dedicated team of approximately 15 innovative and collaborative experts, students and clinicians contribute to the success of our program. We also have over 25 volunteers that assist with instruction, program administration, communications and technology.
Our Logo
Our first priority was to create a logo that would encapture the full meaning of the BC Brain Wellness Program. Our final design was created by UBC Fine Arts student Seth Book, who donated his time and talent to help us tell our story. The BC Brain Wellness Program logo features a tree, representing growth and wellness; the leaves surrounding the brain illustrate community support. The trunk of the tree also serves as the stem of the brain and is meant to represent the strength of the patients themselves. With lush leaves of support, the person ultimately stands for themselves.
2019/2020 PRIORITIES & IMPACT
PROGRAM DELIVERY
During our first year, the strategy has been to focus on program delivery, first in person and then online. When we opened our doors in October 2019, we offered five in-person classes, and through the generosity of our donors, we have been able to add a wide variety of new options. We now offer over 24 different classes, and since our inception, we have offered over 465 hours of free programming to a number of people that has grown to nearly 700. The classes include:
Exercise Classes:
- Alignment Yoga
- Balance and Strength
- Body Conditioning
- HIIT/LIIT (High/Low Impact Interval Training)
- Seated Exercise
- Seated Yoga
- Standing Yoga
- Think Feel Dance
Expression and Creation Classes:
- Art from the Heart
- Book club
- Express Yourself: Caregiver
- Express Yourself: Chronic Condition
- Improv for Brain Health
- Musical Movements
- Open Talk Cafe
- Return to roots
- Improv for Alzheimer's and Dementia
- Artful Living
Educational Classes:
- Wellness Wednesdays
- World Brain Day
USER BASE & PARTICIPATION
We have seen continuous growth in our user base. In the first year, we have grown from 75 members to a user base of 687 people, adding on average 53 participants per month.
Our participants have included people living with chronic brain disorders, their care partners, and healthy agers. In 2020, there were over 4,000 incidents of participation across all of the program offerings, with almost 70% in the exercise programs, with many taking advantage of multiple different activities. In all, there were 2,751 incidents of participation in exercise classes, 1,034 in expression and creation classes and 312 in education classes.
COLLABORATION
Interdisciplinary collaboration has been a key ingredient to the success of program delivery. This first year we have formed meaningful connections throughout BC to collaboratively support well-being and brain health.
One example closer to home, we are a founding member of the Transcending Boundaries Initiative at UBC, which aims to be a catalyst for an open culture of transdisciplinary conversation and creative collaboration across campus and community; to nurture individual and collective health. This has facilitated a successful grant from the Arts Health Network Canada.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
In mid-March 2020, we had to reimagine how to provide our programs safely during the global pandemic. By early April, we had moved all our programs to an online format, ready for the spring term. We empowered our participants to navigate virtual classes, and they quickly saw the benefits of the online format. Accessibility drastically increased as barriers to attending classes such as geographical location and personal health concerns were removed, doubling the user base by summer. We saw participants join from remote places throughout British Columbia and even from Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Participants, volunteers and instructors have found online programming to be a source of community, essential for wellness in this time when we are limiting our physical interactions.
What Our Participants are Saying
Feedback from our participants, instructors and volunteers is crucial to ensuring that we offer the best quality and variety of programming. We have been collecting regular feedback from our participants on their experience in all our classes. The comments reinforce the impact this program is having on our community:
“So glad I discovered your programs, particularly now they have been a real lifeline.” - Anonymous
“First, I want to say “thank you” to you and your team for the work you are doing to assist those of us who live with PD!! The enthusiasm of resource persons and the actual exercise programs make a difference and contribute to my positive outlook.” – Bill
“Cynthia and Jennifer, you make my week so much brighter. We love your music and stories and patience with us!” - ESL participant
“THANK YOU so much – for all you’ve been doing for everyone who is involved with your Musical Movements… my Mom loves music, and Dad says she has been so focused during your sessions. I thank you for all the work you’ve done to make it more accessible – and also giving my Dad some say in music selection. “ - a daughter of two participants in Manitoba - her mother has severe Alzheimer’s and her father is the primary caregiver
“Thank you for offering these classes via Zoom. I have a sense that many people (including me) would not be able to participate in the program without online access. I am very self-conscious, and also dystonia gives me breathing difficulties at times, so I prefer working out at home, rather than in a gym.” – Anonymous
“When I learned about the classes through attending the Zoom Brain symposium, I felt like I had been handed a way out... I signed on right away for the cardio classes and later on for chair yoga and chair exercise classes. It is my intention, with the new fall schedule, to plan to be enrolled in some form of exercise each day until the end of Dec. I have already signed up for ALL your intense cardio classes!" – Nichole
LEARNING HEALTHCARE MODEL
The BC Brain Wellness Program is designed as a learning healthcare model, meaning it can adapt and evolve with the needs of the community. We have patient representation in our planning group and solicit their feedback through questionnaires and focus groups. For example, we have discovered that the ability to offer barrier-free classes is essential as the majority of participants are only able to join the classes because they are free. We also run events to “train the trainer”, continuously elevating knowledge and program delivery.
MAJOR EVENTS AND EDUCATION
Hosting and participating in events is critical to spread knowledge and create a culture focussed on brain wellness and facilitate collaboration. Events generally include presentations paired with interactive practical sessions. Some of our largest events of the year are presented below:
BC BRAIN WELLNESS PROGRAM LAUNCH
The start of something big! To celebrate the launch of the BC Brain Wellness Program, on October 5, 2019, we hosted an open-house event supported by leadership from UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health. The morning featured lifestyle-focused talks and a roundtable with clinicians representing each clinic at Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. In the afternoon, all were welcome to participate in interactive sessions on music, mindfulness, yoga, visual arts and exercise and learn how we are incorporating lifestyle interventions into clinical care for healthier ageing and better patient and care partner well-being.
One of the highlights was the keynote address by world-renowned expert in creativity and ageing, Professor Bill Thompson from Macquarie University, on the impact of music on the brain. His six-week visit was made possible by the UBC Peter Wall Institute through the Visiting International Research Scholar Program.
UNIVERSE OF THE BRAIN: BUILD A BETTER BRAIN
In December 2019, hosted by the HR MacMillan Space Centre and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Drs. Lara Boyd, Rena Sharon and Silke Appel-Cresswell presented lectures in the Universe of the Brain Series on the role of exercise, music and being in nature on brain health, to a full house. Physiotherapist Sally Stelling led the audience in exercises, and the UHill Secondary School choir, under the leadership of Chris Dewreede, created an immersive, multisensory experience, especially with their performance of “I Will Sing You the Stars” under the stars.
WORLD BRAIN DAY
World Brain Day was established in 2014 with the aim to increase public awareness and promote advocacy related to all matters of brain health. On July 22, we hosted 188 people online for an interactive brain wellness session with a panel of experts in neurology, neuropsychiatry, mindfulness, music, dance and wellness. We also launched our first annual Summer Brain Wellness Challenge, which inspired participants to pursue brain healthy activities over July and August.
WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS
Starting in December 2019, the BC Brain Wellness Program has offered a monthly education series on a wide range of topics related to well-being. Presenters come from varied backgrounds including academia, clinical and community practice, setting the stage for future collaborations. These sessions provide a gateway to explore new interests, to sample a taster class and to experience the connection between participation and wellness. Wellness Wednesday is open to everyone and has gathered followers from students, patients, care partners, volunteers, UBC faculty, and the general public. Topics included:
- One Musical Morning
- Exercise for Brain Health
- Everybody Has a Story
- Social Connections and Your Community
- Living Your Best Times in COVID-19
- Exploring Mindfulness
- Minding Your Cognition
- The BC Brain Wellness Program Summer Challenge
- Summer Wrap Up and Fall Lunch
- A Time for Care Partners
- Improv Theatre for Brain Health
- Music for the Mind
Left: Sally Stelling leads the practical part of the January 2020 Wellness Wednesday on exercise.
SPOTLIGHTS
The BC Brain Wellness Program team comprises diverse, dedicated and talented people, who support and collaborate with each other to reach our common goal. Everyone contributes to the success of our program, and we would like to introduce two of our team members and how they are making a profound impact:
STUDENT STORY:
AILSA SIROIS
Ailsa‘s student journey is a unique BC Brain Wellness Program success story and an example of how the program makes a difference in our community.
Ailsa completed her Kinesiology degree from UBC in Spring 2020 and is currently in year one of the accelerated BSN program at the UBC School of Nursing. As a kinesiology student, Ailsa learned about the BC Brain Wellness Program through one of her classes and started volunteering in the fitness program in January 2020. She helped the instructor by assisting participants with cueing, technique and safety. She soon realized she wanted to become more involved with the program and applied for the UBC Student Work Learn Program, which would allow her to advance the work she had started, correlate her volunteer experience with her ongoing education and foster working relationships within her chosen field of study.
She is now our Volunteer Coordinator and has built a dedicated team of volunteers to support our program, and has advanced to become one of our fitness instructors.
“I am proud of my work on the BC Brain Wellness Program volunteer program! I have been involved with every step, including planning, recruiting volunteers, scheduling and ongoing coordinating. After volunteering with several organizations during my undergrad, I now have the opportunity to corroborate what I have learned to create a volunteer experience that I would want to be a part of. My goal is for volunteers to have an enriching and insightful experience and to feel valued as part of the BC Brain Wellness Program community. I am so pleased that we received very positive feedback from both the volunteers and instructors this past term.
“As a Program Assistant of the BC Brain Wellness Program, I am invited to participate in many different initiatives, and I am constantly learning new skills and making new connections. Working with an interdisciplinary team has been really impactful for my career development. As a nursing student, I am learning the importance of effective communication and collaboration within health care teams for patient safety and patient outcomes.
With the BC Brain Wellness Program, I have had the opportunity to develop my communication skills while gaining insight into the various roles of different members of the team. Nursing in itself is a diverse field, so I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn from the BC Brain Wellness Program team members’ wide range of expertise.” – Ailsa Sirois (r)
TEAM MEMBER & INSTRUCTOR STORY:
SALLY-ANNE STELLING, PT, UBC PHYSICAL THERAPY & RESEARCH CLINIC
Contagious energy. Committed to the core. Determined and encouraging. These are some of the words used to describe Sally, our Exercise lead, and one of our exercise instructors. She brings the same amount of energy to her classes as she does to our program development sessions and is always looking for ways to bring the most out of her students and the BC Brain Wellness Program Team.
She joined the BC Brain Wellness Program in 2019 because she wanted to help and as a Physical Therapist, she had the right attitude, tools and experience. The exercise program initially was run in person at the Jack and Darlene Poole Gymnasium until the pandemic forced us to move online. Those first few months were incredibly significant for building a dedicated community of people that exercised together, created a sense of accountability and cared for each other. That connection enabled a smooth transition into online exercise in April.
Over this first year of fitness classes have grown significantly, with more people joining every week. She has trained instructors and volunteers, researched different types of classes, reviewed and altered support plans and continued to build community. Those that have been exercising consistently are noticing improvements in balance, strength and cardiovascular fitness, and Sally has a dedicated group of followers.
Sally feels incredibly privileged to be a part of this team and to serve in this program, which for many, is a lifeline when so many options are no longer available to them. She is eager to continue to develop and grow connections with participants, volunteers, students, clinicians and researchers.
“In a time where COVID has changed so much, it has been a gift to be able to work and make a difference in people’s lives.” – Sally Stelling, Exercise lead and Steering Committee (l)
2021 AND BEYOND
In our first year, we have built a strong foundation and are well poised to expand Program Delivery, Education and Research.
EDUCATION STRATEGY
We currently have students across a wide range of disciplines such as neuroscience, physiotherapy, kinesiology, occupational therapy, nursing, medicine and music engaged in the program. We will focus on enriching the educational experience of UBC students by growing volunteer opportunities, Work Learn student positions, practicums and research projects for students.
We aim to promote the dissemination of evidence-based lifestyle approaches by creating a centralized library and hosting ongoing educational events for participants, instructors, clinicians and the public.
RESEARCH
Research will investigate the efficacy of specific lifestyle interventions, the impact of implementing lifestyle approaches and the health economics of the BC Brain Wellness Program.
We hope to study the holistic impact of implementing the BC Brain Wellness Program in community settings. Through a comprehensive assessment of clinical measures, neuroimaging, fluid biomarkers, and wearable technology, we hope to capture a detailed picture of participants’ health profiles. This information will allow for the personalization of our programming to maximize the benefit for each individual. We plan to study how changes in program efficacy and implementation translate into health-related outcomes such as a reduction in hospital visits or progression of symptoms, which can translate into reduced healthcare costs and improved brain health for British Columbians.
THANK YOU
The first year of the BC Brain Wellness Program has seen the rapid establishment and growth of this novel approach to health and well-being, integrating program provision, education and community building, setting the foundation for research projects and providing a vital service during the pandemic. None of that could have happened without your generous philanthropy - we are immensely grateful, and with our highly motivated and dynamic team, we are looking forward to a future of establishing lifestyle interventions as an effective part of medical care and creating a culture of well-being.
If you would like to make a donation to the BC Brain Wellness Program, please contact:
Erin Bartlett
Director, Development & Alumni Engagement, UBC
Telephone: 778 998 6114
Email: erin.bartlett@ubc.ca
If you would like more information about the BC Brain Wellness program, please visit our website www.bcbrainwellness.ca or contact:
Matthew Sacheli, PHD
Research Program Manager, BC Brain Wellness Program
Email: brain.wellness@ubc.ca