Process Evaluation Findings of the Abundant Life Initiative Pilot

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Process Evaluation Findings of the Abundant
Life Initiative Pilot

• Dr. Robyn I. Stone, DrPH
• Executive Director
• Dr. Michelle M. Washko, PhD
• Senior Research Associate

May 17th 2007, Cleveland, OH
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Three Main Questions

• Why did we evaluate the Abundant Life Initiative?
• How was the evaluation conducted?
• What are the findings?

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The Basics

• Good ideas do not always yield good results!
• Documents analyzes the development and
  implementation of the Inititative, assessing
  whether strategies were implemented as planned,
  and whether the expected output was actually
  generated.
• Detailed information about the program as it was
  actually implemented is invaluable for
  determining what worked and what did not.

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Why are we evaluating the Initiative?

• Long-Term Objectives
• To improve the quality of aging services
• Providing Care for the Whole Person
• Short Term Objective
• To help improve the current implementation and
  modify the initiative for future replications

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How are we Evaluating the Initiative?

• 1 ½ year process evaluation
• Frequent deliverables and presentation of process
  findings provided feedback to Caritas during this
  timeframe

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How are we Evaluating the Initiative?

• Formal Components
• Education Modules (and training materials)
• Wellness Teams (meeting notes, midpoint reports)
• Field Support Panels (and Action Plan)
• Abundant Life Wellness Awareness Tool
• Best Practice application

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How are we Evaluating the Initiative?

• Data Collection Activities
• Participant Observation
• Satisfaction Questionnaires
• Focus Groups
• Documentation Content Analysis
• Telephone Interviews

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How are we Evaluating the Initiative?
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What Have We Learned So Far?

• The Implementation Evaluation of the Model
• The Impacts Evaluation of Achievements

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Key Evaluation Findings

• The two areas where lessons were learned for
  future implementation
• Structure of the Initiative
• Process of how it is Implemented

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Key Findings Structure

• Most successful component Education Modules (and
  training materials)
• Component with mixed reviews Wellness Tool
• Component needing the most modification Field
  Support Panels

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Key Findings Structure

• Model Structure
• Frequently revisit the formal components of the
  initiative and investigate areas where
  improvement is possible.
• Structure Guidance for Participants
• Give new participants clear context for the
  program and a general structure of what they can
  expect in terms of formal activities will
  encourage more participation and encourage a
  greater understanding of the initiative.

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Key Findings Process

• Initiative structure logistics
• Management buy-in imperative to success
• Time Factor

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Key Findings Process

• Acknowledgement of Barriers to Counter Resistance
  
• Acknowledge the various implementation challenges
  that will be encountered by participants.
• Organizational Buy-In Resistance to Change
• Top-down organizational support is essential to
  the success of this initiative. To achieve more
  organizational buy-in, consider involving
  administrators actively, early-on in the process.
  One way to encourage their early participation
  is to stress what they and their organizations
  will gain by participating in Abundant Life

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Preliminary Impacts

• Increased awareness of Body-Mind-Spirit amongst
  the consistent participants.
• Makes me think more about the health of the
  whole personBody/Mind/Spirit for myself as well
  as the clients that I serve.
• I have always thought of wellness
  holistically, but with Abundant Life, I have more
  education on it.

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Preliminary Impacts

• Improved communication and relationship building
  within organizations
• I knew all of the people on the Wellness Team.
  Now, I know them.
• I think one factor thats really made an impact
  on our team is that since were all from
  different departments, were communicating
  better.

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General Conclusions

• The Abundant Life Initiative experienced many of
  the same process issues as other change
  initiatives
• The model improved over the course of the process
  evaluation
• Is poised for sustainability and spread--next
  steps must be thought through carefully