1. New Directions Wellness Center
An Unique Approach to
Health Promotion
Molly Blair, Clinical Exercise Specialist
Program Coordinator
New Directions Wellness Center
Worked for New Directions for over Four Years

2. 
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Introduce you to the New Directions Wellness Center
What do we do & Who do we serve

3. The Problem
•
People with disability & chronic illness report
experiencing 14 different secondary
conditions annually that limit their
participation in daily activities.
• The impact of the most commonly reported
conditions (e.g. weight/regulation, problems
with physical conditioning, fatigue, pain and
depression) can be reduced for most people
by incorporating a regular exercise routine
into their daily lives.
lives

4. The Problem
• There are not services to help people reduce
secondary conditions after rehabilitation
services are completed.
• Many people limited by chronic illness &
disability become isolated, depressed and
hopeless.
• When people lose hope that their lives can be
better, physical and emotional health are
constantly in jeopardy which creates additional
limitation.

5. Health Promotion and Disability

Most health promotion is intended for the “healthy”

People with chronic illness & disabilities can improve
health status with substantial benefits to the
individuals and society

6. Activities of Daily Living
(Occupational and Leisure)
Require an underlying constitution of:
 Muscular strength
 Muscular endurance
 Cardiopulmonary endurance

7. Life is Full of Fun and Humor

8. Why the Interest in Exercise?
 ADL
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Home
Work
Leisure
 Quality
–
of life
Community engagement
 General
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health
Prevention of secondary chronic conditions

9. Most Common Barriers to Initiating
an Exercise Program
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Pain
Fatigue
Lack of energy, endurance, strength
Weight control
Depression
Isolation
Financial
Transportation
Accessibility
Time

10. The Benefits of a Regular Exercise Routine at New
Directions Wellness Center
•Increased Physical Capacity
• Reductions in reported pain and fatigue
• Increased strength and cardiovascular
conditioning
•Changes in Daily Activities
• Transportation solutions for community
access
• Changes in living arrangements
• New jobs
• Changes in social/recreation activities

11. Get on a Positive Cycle.
“New Directions gives me a place
where I can work out and feel good
about myself. Staying fit means I can
continue to do the things that are
important to me.”
New Directions Wellness Center promotes healthy active living for people with health challenges. Services include
individually designed fitness programs, accessible gym, nutrition classes, wellness workshops, occupational and physical
therapy, and psychotherapy.
Advertisement made possible by the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

12. The Benefits of Participation in a
Regular Exercise Routine
•Adaptation to Disability & Chronic
Illness
• Learning about technological and social
supports
• Pursuing meaningful goals despite
limitations
•Possibility Thinking
• Improvements in Outlook
• General Psychological Well-being

13. Give Yourself a Lift.
“Exercising at New Directions
makes me feel more positive
and gives me the energy I
need to keep up with my
grandkids.”
New Directions Wellness Center promotes healthy active living for people with health
challenges. Services include individually designed fitness programs, an accessible gym,
nutrition classes, wellness workshops, occupational and physical therapy, and psychotherapy.
New Directions Wellness Center
Skaggs Building 025, The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812 (406) 243-4016
Advertisement made possible by the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

14. The Benefits of Participation in a
Regular Exercise Routine
•Friendship and a sense of belonging
•Participants share common experiences
•Participation to the end of life
•Other health benefits
•Undiagnosed conditions discovered
(e.g. hypothyroid)
•Risk factors for additional chronic illness
reduced (e.g. heart disease from
sedentary lifestyle)

15. New Directions
Wellness Center
Providing Fitness &
Wellness Programs for
People with Physical
Limitations, Disabilities,
and Chronic Illnesses

16. New Directions Wellness Center
Mission
To provide people with physical limitations
& chronic illness the resources they need
to develop healthy life styles and to
improve their overall quality of life and
engagement in the community.

17. New Directions Wellness Center
Who are our potential clients?
How do we define a physical limitation?

18. Strong Medicine.
“I look forward to
coming to New
Directions. The peer
support means as
much to me as the
physical benefits
I receive.”
New Directions Wellness Center promotes healthy active living for
people with health challenges. Services include individually
designed fitness programs, accessible gym, nutrition classes,
wellness workshops, occupational and physical therapy, and
psychotherapy.
New Directions Wellness Center
Skaggs Building 025, The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812 (406) 243-4016
Advertisement made possible by the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

20. New Directions Wellness Center
•Supervised accessible fitness facility
•Pneumex body-support assisted standing and
walking program
•Physical Therapy (orthopedic & neurological)
•Living Well with a Disability Workshop
•Counseling (chronic pain, depression, & living
with disability)
•Drug Information

21. New Directions Wellness Center
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A program of the Applied Exercise Physiology
Laboratory – School of Physical Therapy
Exercise programs designed & supervised by a
physical therapist and clinical exercise specialist
An accessible supervised fitness center
Full spectrum of exercise equipment suited to the
needs of all abilities
Fully equipped Physical Therapy clinic
State-of-the-art physiological assessment facility

24. New Directions Wellness Center

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Clients
– Average 100 individual clients per month
 Average 600 visits per month
 From a cohort of approximately 200
– Average of 8-14 new referrals per month
– Average 18-24 individual PT clients
Fees
– Gym fees
 Independent: $32/month on a sliding scale to $11/month
 Assistance: $45/month on a sliding scale to $15/month
– Physical Therapy: (market)
– LWD: $40 (+ $20 for manual)
– Counseling: $8/session (group)

25. New Directions Wellness Center
 The
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Process
Referral
In-take
Physical Therapy Evaluation
 Treatment
 Exercise
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Program
Independent Exercise Program
Living Well, Nutrition, Drug Information,
Counseling

27. Pneumex Assisted
Standing/Walking Program

29. New Directions Wellness Center
 Current
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Projects
Nutrition & Disability
Body-support (able-bodied)
Pain Study
Special Olympics Year-Round Fitness
ADAPTS – LW and academic performance
Sub-maximal testing (reliability)
 HR,
VO2, RPE, METs

30. Any Questions?