THE POISE PROJECT: alexander technique for the 21st century

THE POISE PROJECT

3 grant proposals were submitted to:
- The Alzheimer's Society (UK),
- The Parkinson's Foundation (USA)
- The American Center for Alexander Technique - ACAT (USA)
4 research abstracts were submitted to:
- The International Somatic Movement and Therapy Association Conference (Santa Barbara CA)
- The International Dystonia Symposium (Dublin Ireland)
- The International Congress for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders (Philadelphia PA)
- The American Congress for Rehabilitation Medicine (Atlanta GA).

The Poise Project AT4PD Teacher Training
New York NY
- 2 Westchester County AT teachers received basic training in adapting AT for Parkinson's
3rd Pan American Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Congress
Miami, Florida
- 3 member AT teacher team
- Exhibit table on the convention floor
- Made valuable contacts with neurologists and research scientists in South America, Central America and North America, as well as in the Caribbean
- Connected with pharmaceutical companies with expressed interest in supporting our AT-based programs to improve quality of life for PD patients and caregivers
- Presented 2 research posters

AT for Parkinson's public workshops
Montpellier, France
- Intoducing classes based on the US “Poised for Parkinson’s” course, France Poise Project Project Development team leader Marie-Laure Deplaix, assisted by Joelle Schneider-Nougier who had done the AT4PD training in September 2019, led a number of public workshops in February & March 2020

The beginning of the Covid pandemic.

“Poised for Parkinson's" Course
Mount Holly NC & Virtual
- Delivery of our "Poised for Parkinson's" course is immediately moved online via Zoom. The Parkinson's Foundation funded course that was fully recruited and ready to start on March 16 in Mount Holly NC met once in person and then moved online.
  - 13 participants (7 PWP, 6 Care Partners) were served.
  - Innovations were made to creatively address teaching AT cognitive embodiment practices at a distance.

“Poised for Parkinson's" Course
Virtual for participants from the Greensboro NC area
- Due to the pandemic, this Parkinson's Foundation funded course was also moved from in-person delivery to online delivery
  - 10 dyad participants (5 PWP, 5 Care Partners) were served
  - IRB approved pilot study quickly organized to research how outcomes from our online courses will compare with our in person courses.

Awarded $15,000 Parkinson's Foundation Community Impact Grant
- "Poised for Parkinson's" course for people living with Parkinson's and their care partners will be delivered for residents of North Carolina, and for the first time for residents of South Carolina, too.
- 2 courses will be delivered online in Fall 2020, and then at 2 sites in person in Spring 2021 if the pandemic allows.
- An additional AT teacher will be trained in the course protocols, and all instructors will be trained in adapting the course to online delivery
- Video documentation will be collected, including post-course interviews, as well as pre- and post-course surveys and evaluations for our pilot study

"Poised for Parkinson's" Online Course Delivery
- Due to the Covid pandemic, this Parkinson's Foundation funded course was also moved to online delivery between September-November 2020
- 10 dyad participants (5 PWP, 5 Care Partners) from the North Carolina coastal area were served
International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders
Virtual Conference
- Exhibited in the virtual Exhibit Hall.
- Congress was attended by over 20,000 delegates from 146 countries.
- Numerous presentations and panels allowed us to interact with movement disorder specialists from around the world and to share our videos and handouts via our virtual booth.

The Poise Project Teacher Team Training for Online Delivery
- A team of 3 AT specialists trained with Executive Director Monika Gross via Zoom to meet the challenges of adapting instruction in the ““Poised for Parkinson's course with synchronous delivery via Zoom.

National Institute of Health Rehabilitation Research: Embodying a Functional Future
Virtual Conference
- Presented a research poster, "Embodying Agency: Alexander technique based group interventions for people living with Parkinson's and their care partners"
- Networked with attendees from academic and research institutions across the United States, and with Federal and other granting organization representatives.
American Congress for Rehabilitation Medicine
Virtual Conference
- Presented 2 research posters: '
  - Poised for Parkinson's': Retention of Benefits from Alexander Technique Group Course for People Living with Parkinson's Disease
  - Poised for Parkinson’s': Online Group Delivery of Alexander Classes for People Living With Parkinson's Disease/Care Partner Dyads.
- Networked with presenters from academic and research institutions across the United States, and allied health professional clinicians.
Made significant contacts to advance our research and programming partnerships.

The World Carers Conversation International - National Association for Caregivers.
Virtual Syposium
- Monika participated in this four-day conference, and had our determination that family care partners worldwide are a hugely growing population that needs the kind of support that our programs offe.
- Each day focused on a different global sector: North, South & Central America; Europe; Africa; and Asia.