Sacramento area - MS Achievement Center

[LivWell]

http://www.dignityhealth.org/sacrame...evement-center

"The MS Achievement Center is open to anyone who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For admittance into the program, participants must:

Be able to attend a five-hour block of activities one day per week
Make arrangements for transportation to and from the Center

Individuals can self-refer. MS Achievement Center staff will work with the participant's physician to keep them apprised of progress toward specific goals. Primary care physicians or other specialists can also refer.

There is no mandatory end date to a person's participation in the program and insurance is not billed. Payment is on a sliding scale."

"If you are interested in attending the program at the MS Achievement Center, call us for more information:

MS Achievement Center
(916) 453-7966
7777 Greenback Lane, Suite 108
Citrus Heights, CA 95619

[Kelly C.]

Shout-Out to MS Achievement Center

It is about 3 years after the above post was published and many people are now participating, and want to participate, in the MSAC program, including me .

The program has various elements, such as cognitive exercise and physical exercise. Under the direction of a physical therapist (who is also the Center's director) and/or a physiologist exercise is geared to an individual's ability, needs & goals, (abilities range from "but you look so good" invisible symptoms to progressive unable-to-walk and wheel or power chair-dependent).

There is also a learning component where a range of topics are discussed, such as summaries of tele- or web-conferences, professional MS-related conferences attended by MSAC staff, talks about nutrition, various MS symptoms, etc., and other activities, such as book club, sewing club, movie day--where a film is shown on-site, with popcorn, candy, and great cameraderie. Some activities occur off-site, such as going to the movie theater, or, as is upcoming, to the ice-skating rink (special reservation for the MSAC).

Along with the program's activities for stimulating cognitive and physical function, for imparting useful information, learning mindfulness or playing team games, an aspect I, personally, have found extremely meaningful is that of spending and enjoying time with others who have MS, where I don't feel as alone in my struggles with the disease, and where they all "get it," and can empathize, commiserate, or laugh about it. The Director, Brian Hutchinson, and staff are wonderful! My once-weekly participation in this very positive, good-vibe place has improved my quality of life.

For MSers in the wider Sacramento, Woodland area (where, because of great interest, a new one is being developed), if you think the program would be helpful to you, do check into it. For those elsewhere, where there are no such programs, you might encourage your medical MS community to create one. The MSAC is supported in part by Dignity Health and private donations and grants. You might suggest they contact the director of the MSAC here for guidance (not that I am volunteering him; only that he is the only source of that information that, in my limited knowledge, I know).

I have much gratitude.

[ActiveMSers]

Brian is the bomb, y'all. Listen to Kelly (and thanks for posting!).