We recently launched a Podcast/Online Radio Show!
We will create a new episode every other week, and we’ll interview doctors, people with Parkinson’s, caregivers, therapists and more!
Facilitator Success Tip: Promotion
There are never too many ways to promote awareness of your support group or exercise group in your community! One of our goals is to reach everyone in a community with resources, so no person with Parkinson disease feels alone or isolated! Here are some suggestions for promoting your support or exercise group to create awareness and increase attendance in the process:
- Flyer distribution. Did you know WPA can create flyers for you? Save time and let us help! Flyers can have a big impact on awareness, and can be placed in areas such as:
- Senior centers
- Churches (many churches have Parish Nurses who welcome an opportunity to share news about local support groups – and some of the nurses can even be a speaker option for you, as they are a wealth of knowledge and eager to help with health education in the community!)
- Local connections when networking
- Libraries
- Physicians’ offices, in particular primary care, neurology and rehabilitation offices. (Ask the staff if you can place on tables or shelves in the waiting areas. Do not leave a stack, as staff is often too busy to distribute, and while well intentioned, may never get them out in the lobby.)
- This website! If you do not already have your group listed on our site, contact me immediately and we will get you set up. Many new patients look to our site for information, so let’s make sure they can find you here.
- Business cards for your group. Did you know that we can create business cards for you, listing your contact information, meeting date and location – free of change? Many facilitators are excited to be able to hand out cards at events or in the community to let others know about their groups. Even more importantly, many of our support and exercise group members have asked their facilitators to give them some cards to hand out when they meet another person with PD at a physician office or at an event. Please contact me if you are interested in having us print some cards for you.
- Local Aging & Disability Resource Centers (ADRC). Nearly every county in Wisconsin has an ADRC, and they are always willing to list your support group in their literature and post flyers at their sites. They can also be a great partner for promotion and speaking events.
• Participate in local health fairs- many hospitals and local organizations hold health fairs throughout the year, and you can promote your support group at these community events.
• Local Farmer’s Market in warm weather- this is a great way to impact community members- attendance at these type of markets is high, and you can reach many who have PD or know someone with PD.
Lessons from the Field: Meeting Resource
One activity that can help spark group conversation and increase participation in discussions is a round-robin activity. Facilitators often tell us they struggle getting members to participate and interact. Feedback indicates that while sharing time can be crucial to the success of a group, not all are willing to participate. Here is one way to be inclusive:
- Provide notecards for members to take home. Encourage them to write one issue, concern, or topic that they encounter during the month, and return with the question they would like to discuss at the next meeting. Since PD can make writing difficult, this could be typed on a computer as well.
For many, it may be easier to plan ahead for a discussion topic than to come up with a question on the spot or try to remember what it was they had wanted to discuss with others. Writing makes thinking clearer, for introverts and extroverts alike! An introvert may find it easier to express thoughts verbally after they’ve written them down. You can introduce topics anonymously, and go around the room and give each member a chance to share their experience with the topic in a more comfortable manner.
- Download an interest survey HERE to go over with your group. You can distribute it to your group and send it in to Laurie for tallying. She will get the results back to you, listing your top 5-6 choices to help you plan for future meetings. This form can also be a great idea list for you as are planning for 2019 speakers.
A note from Laurie
Dear Facilitators,
Although it’s still snowing the last few days, I know winter will be ending soon – and time seems to have flown by for me this year! Since I began my role as Director of Group Engagement at WPA last June, I have had the honor of meeting many of the facilitators for both PD support groups and exercise groups. During my visits, I have heard so many inspiring stories of support, strength and determination in managing life with PD. Your genuine compassion for the members of your groups comes through in how you lead group members, and in the respect and concern you show as you facilitate meetings or exercises with their best interests at heart. I am so impressed by the sense of community and camaraderie that has developed among your members!
Changing Lives & Giving Hope
While chatting with group members, I have seen how these meetings and classes have changed lives and given hope where there was none. You have motivated many to take up exercise, encouraged some to become more socially active and inspired others to become more proactive in caring for their health. Many have seen improvement in their symptoms as a direct result of the information and classes you have brought to them! I hope you know that you are truly appreciated for facilitating these groups, and that you realize what a powerful impact you have on the lives of others struggling with PD!
One key factor I have noted in the success of your groups has been your determination to stay connected by reaching out to your group members with reminder emails and calls about upcoming meetings and events, as well as working with various clinics and hospital systems in your areas to promote awareness of your meetings and classes. In addition to creating awareness, making those connections with local medical professionals and community organizations is so important in helping to create speaker options and attain resource materials for your members.
Stories & Photos
Please share pictures of your groups with us! Send them to me at [email protected] or to Carolyn at [email protected]. These pictures can be taken during regular meetings, special moments, important activities, or exercise sessions so that we can continue to highlight you in our magazine, on our website and Facebook page, and in other communications. Sharing these photos is a great way for others to learn more about the amazing things going on in other communities, with groups just like their own – and maybe you will even inspire another group to try something new, or learn from a challenge you and your groups have faced and come out of stronger!
My visits
I visited over 70 support groups and exercise groups in 2018, and if I have not yet had the chance to visit with you and your group members – you’re on my list for this year! Or feel free to contact me to set up a visit. I am excited to learn more about you and your group, and share a little about WPA. I am looking forward to finding even more ways for WPA to support facilitators and the PD community as a whole. We are excited to be expanding resources, programs, and opportunities for all those in our communities who are managing Parkinson disease.
As we move forward into 2019, I would like to thank all of you who have welcomed me so kindly as I came to your groups to present or just do a quick introductory discussion. My role at WPA was created specifically to support you, as facilitators, and your group members, so please contact me when you need resources or assistance. WPA is thankful for each of you, and the unique role you play in supporting the PD community!
Hope to see you soon – thank you for all you do!
-Laurie Couillard
Director of Group Engagement
[email protected] | 414-386-2305
Care Partner Focus
One of the recurring themes we hear from groups is the need for Caregiver resources. WPA is committed to helping the whole family manage Parkinson disease. For example, we recently created a Caregiver Committee to help us better understand the specific needs and resources our care partners are searching for as they help care for and support a loved one with PD.
Here are some updates from our most recent Caregiver Committee meeting:
- The most recent issue of our magazine was a special double issue – featuring both information for people with PD and for Caregiver.
- Caregiver Survey. This survey was included in the magazine as well as emailed. We asked for information on topics of interest, and resources this group needs. See the upcoming issue of the magazine for results.
- Ambassador Program. This committee is helping us design a program to connect care partners with others who can share their experience with common issues faced by caregivers in our PD community. The results of our survey will play a large part in helping the committee move forward to design the topics addressed by the Ambassadors.
- Caregiver resources on our website. This is a resource requested by many of you at our Facilitator Training last June, and we will be establishing this page in 2019. We hope to include an area where facilitators can share resources such as successful speaker options, event and activity ideas and more!
On a similar note, we are working on a WPA Volunteer Program, as many in our PD community have expressed an interest in giving back and helping others. Roles such as helping to assist an facilitator with monthly meetings, filling packets for events, assist at an exercise class, etc. are just some of the roles we have in place for volunteers. Watch for a formal update soon on the WPA Volunteer Program!
Facilitator Feedback: Your Voice Matters!
We need your help! Here are a few ways you can have input as we move forward…
Speaker’s Bureau
WPA knows how difficult it can be to attain qualified speakers for your group, so we are working to build a Speaker’s Bureau! We have many wonderful speaker resources, as you have experienced at our annual Symposium and other education programs, who come to us through our Medical Advisory Committee and other partnerships around the state. Yet we know there is still a great need for speakers in all regions on a variety of topics yet to be addressed, so we are interested in gathering contact information for those we do not currently have on file.
- Help us compile a speakers list! Please send Laurie the name and contact information for 1 or 2 well-received speakers at your group.
- Share interesting topics! Send Laurie ideas on topics your members want to learn more about. We will share the list of topics and speakers in an upcoming newsletter.
Local Resource Directories
One of our goals in supporting the Parkinson community is to provide a list of resources for a variety of needs specific to each county. We are building a directory for each area – and we need your help!
- Share your resources! Share resources about the local organizations you have partnered with for your group’s needs. This could be resources for local durable medical equipment like walkers, or legal assistance information such as wills and estate planning – and everything in between! Send your ideas to Laurie.
Attendance Sheets
Make taking attendance a lot easier! Download an attendance template HERE. This sheet can be helpful for you, and also for WPA! Many of your members have already registered on our website to receive information on WPA happenings like educational programs, current updates and more, but some have not, or don’t have access to email.
- Help your members get involved! Send these completed attendance sheets to Laurie and we will make sure they are getting information and news to help manage their Parkinson’s and other concerns.
2018 was a big year!
The whole Symposium was excellent from beginning to end, including the meals and the informational booths. It was the best program I have attended.
Thank YOU for all the wonderful educational and supportive events and resources you provide for us caregivers. It means to much to know you’re there for us too.
I so appreciate WPA offering a Parkinson’s Dance Class in our area. We really enjoy the opportunity to participate and reconnect with people we knew from our support group!
Through our surveys, conversations, and emails, you have shared some great feedback with our staff about WPA’s growth and expansion over the last year. We have increased the number of programs we hold throughout the year, and added new locations around the state where we offer these programs. The number of attendees who attend these programs has nearly doubled in just a year!
Additionally, WPA’s Annual Symposium in June had over 500 people register to attend! So many of you wanted to come, we moved to a new venue. And we’re looking for another – even bigger – venue for 2019! THANK YOU to our awesome sponsors and vendors who support that program, and who allowed it to be FREE for every attendee this year.
WPA’s office moved! Our new space in Brookfield is a warm, inviting space that allows for small meetings on site. We are close to I-94, which allows us to keep moving across the state to support YOU!
In order to realign WPA’s Mission Statement with our goals and program offerings, our Board of Directors revamped the statement: Providing hope, community, support, and resources for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. This new mission statement truly shows what WPA is able to provide for YOU. We are a broad and diverse organization, providing you with what you need as you navigate life with Parkinson’s – whether it’s your own Parkinson’s, or that of a loved one.
We hired Laurie Couillard, as director of group engagement. Laurie’s entire job is to work with our nearly 150 support groups and exercise groups around the state, connecting them with the resources they need. WPA is also helping new groups and exercise classes start up – watch for more classes and groups coming to your area!
THANK YOU for all the support and feedback you have provided to us over the last year. We are here to serve you, and we look forward to seeing you at a program or group meeting soon!
Gary Garland | Executive Director | [email protected]
Laurie Couillard | Group Engagement | [email protected]
Carolyn Hahn, Marketing Communications, [email protected]
Raven Hamilton | Administrative Services | [email protected]
Jeremy Otte | Outreach & Education | [email protected]
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