title: Shake-It-Up: health promotion and capacity building for people with spinal cord injuries and related neurological disabilities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a description of a model demonstration project called Project Shake-It-Up. This project promotes the health and empowerment of people with spinal cord injuries and related neurological disabilities. It also builds the capacity of community organizations that provide services to this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants are involved in interactive seminars concerning health and advocacy on topics like nutrition and being assertive with healthcare providers. They take part in physical and recreational activities such as seat kayaking, kite-flying and hand cycling. Case coordinators support their project participation and personal goal attainment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Community organizations and university researchers developed a successful partnership. Individual members of the first cohort supported one another and benefited physically and psychologically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Project-Shake-It-Up provides positive initial signs of the value of combining the resources of universities and community agencies. Working together, these organizations can develop distinctive, multi-faceted programmes to support the health and empowerment of people with spinal cord injuries and other related neurological disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy Programme, Stony Brook University, New York 11794-8201, USA. Pamela.Block@stonybrook.edu
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: Sarah Everhart
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Skeels
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Keys
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rimmer
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011998:Recreation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*