HOPE Program

CVMC’s  HOPE program is designed to treat persistent pain. There are two variations to the HOPE program: HOPE Plus and HOPE Lite.

• HOPE Plus consists of an interdisciplinary team including the referring physician, a cognitive behavioral therapist, and a physical therapist. Regular communication between this team of healthcare providers allows us to provide the patient with a comprehensive approach to the complex issue of persistent pain.
• The team for HOPE Lite consists of the referring physician and a physical therapist. The team in both cases will work one-on-one with the patient to achieve their personal health goals and return to a healthy lifestyle in which they are better able to understand and manage their persistent pain symptoms.

New and exciting research has shown us that the major ways to create positive change for a person with persistent pain are to assist the patient in understanding what pain truly is, the science behind how pain is created, how to improve blood flow and oxygen supply getting to the affected tissues, and how to improve the mechanisms the brain uses to reduce pain (stocking your brain’s own natural medicine cabinet).

This program may also include progressive exercise training with access to warm water therapeutic pool as well as state of the art exercise equipment such as the alter-G treadmill, education for both patient and support person, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation training.

About the HOPE Program

Program Length

Topics

The following are the major topics of discussion during sessions:

• Pain science education is interspersed throughout sessions to give you a better understanding of what pain is, why it is there, and how it has changed over time.
• Improving blood flow and oxygen with non-provoking exercises, gentle movements, and simple forms of aerobic exercise such as a slow walk. The type of exercises will vary based on the level of fitness of the patient.
• Learning how to stock the brains natural medicine cabinet.

Treatments

The sessions focus on the following treatments:

• Creating SMART goals. This means goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time based. We work with you at the beginning of the program to create these and track our progress towards them as you progress through the program.
• Time contingent pacing versus pacing by your pain tolerance
  • This allows us to slowly increase you exposure to provoking activities in such a way that allows us to work towards a progressive increase in your tolerance for activity.
  • Creating weekly action plans that help create structure and direction
  • Frequent patient satisfaction check-in to help us direct your care in a way that seems most meaningful to you and your goals
  • Creating a fall back plan in event of pain flare
• Identifying
  • Provoking activities and addressing them with meaningful exercises
  • Determining what your motivators are. These are the activities you enjoy or once enjoyed and what to get back to. Knowing these will help us structure your exercises in such a way that will increase your ability to stick with the program.

Location

Behavioral Therapy is provided out of our Rehab and Orthopedic Center on Granger Road. Physical Therapy for this program is offered at all of our locations except 1311 and the Barre Health Center.

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