“Learning to live with MS is an enduring, educational process. We feel strongly that this holistic approach improves people’s long-term prognosis and significantly improves their quality of life,” says Ilana Katz Sand, MD,Co-Director of the C. Olsten Wellness Program. “We want to be able to offer this to every person we treat.”
A multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis is life-changing. The challenge of managing doctor appointments, MRI exams, and treatments, while also focusing on how you feel, can be extraordinarily stressful. Many essential things in life, such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, work, and family, often receive insufficient attention in the face of these demands.
“Many of our patients seek and can benefit from a more holistic approach to their MS,” says Ilana Katz Sand, MD, Co-Director of the C. Olsten Wellness Program at The Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis. “Empowering people living with MS to take ownership of their health is the goal of our Wellness Program.”
The Wellness Program is designed to enable people with MS to live their lives as fully as possible by creating healthier habits. Since its inception in 2020, more than 500 people have participated in this program, the first of its kind at a comprehensive MS care center in the United States.
The program is open to both newly diagnosed patients and those who have been receiving care from neurologists, nurse practitioners, and other Center staff for many years. Some of the original participants from 2020 are still engaged in their wellness activities, while others have found satisfaction in charting a course of action after just a few visits.
“The duration of participation is up to the patient,” Dr. Katz Sand says. “We partner one-on-one with our patients, offering each individual options that help with changing behaviors, such as assistance with scheduling workout routines, adjustments to food shopping and eating habits, or support for addressing mental health. These are all key components of comprehensive MS care.”
Deciding to participate in the Wellness Program begins with conversations between patients and their health care providers. Before the first visit, patients undergo an evaluation through the Center’s Comprehensive Annual Assessment Program at the MS Neuropsychology Clinic, which helps identify potential areas of need. The initial visit is extensive, lasting two and a half hours, and involves individual meetings with staff.
Each specialist—nurse practitioners, dietitian, physical therapist, and social worker—assess various aspects of the patient’s health, including their abilities, living environment, and support systems. Nurse practitioners Stacie Lyras, FNP-BC, and Gretchen Mathewson, NP, conduct an overall assessment and help each patient set goals. Dietitian Jessica Gelman, MS, RDN, CDN, reviews food choices, eating schedules, how groceries are obtained, and how meals are prepared. Elizabeth Pike, PT, DPT, NCS, physical therapist, evaluates the patient’s current physical activity level and exercise program. Finally, social worker Konul Azimzade, LCSW, assesses the patient’s emotional health.
At the end of each new evaluation session, the Wellness staff meet with Belenmarie Mixon, program coordinator, and Dr. Katz Sand to make sure all providers are on the same page. Each patient has a unique set of circumstances and different ways that MS affects their life. A customized plan is prepared for and discussed with the patient.
Dr. Katz Sand notes that several of her patients have had life-changing experiences with the Wellness Program. Using strategies learned from the program, some patients regained mobility through exercise. Others addressed longstanding mental health issues, or were finally able to manage their fatigue by changing diet or other lifestyle habits.
“Patients are so appreciative of the way our team listens to what is going on in their lives and what they need to feel better. Providing care that is truly holistic is a different approach that puts patients at the center,” says Dr. Katz Sand.
Dr. Katz Sand joined the Center in 2011 on a National Multiple Sclerosis Society-sponsored fellowship and became a full-time staff member in 2013. Today, she serves as the Center’s Associate Director. In addition to treating MS patients, she has spearheaded research for more than a decade on the connections between gut health and MS. Her groundbreaking work on nutrition and how food choices affect MS was key to forming the holistic approach embraced by the Wellness Program.
To further encourage people living with MS in managing their nutrition, Dr. Katz Sand’s team, led by Ms. Gelman, has produced a 73-page cookbook. It puts into practice the nutrition guidance Dr. Katz Sand has long advocated. The cookbook covers the basics of kitchen equipment, nutrition guidelines, and detailed recipes. It’s user-friendly for both beginners and more experienced home chefs. The Wellness Program cookbook is available to Wellness Program participants upon request.
As the Wellness Program becomes more popular, expansion will be necessary to accommodate more patients. This growth will require more space and staff so that more patients can take advantage of its unique offerings.
“Learning to live with MS is an enduring, educational process. We feel strongly that this holistic approach improves people’s long-term prognosis and significantly improves their quality of life,” says Dr. Katz Sand. “We want to be able to offer this to every person we treat.”
By Kenneth Bandler, a multiple sclerosis patient, advocate, and member of The Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis Advisory Board