Outcomes tell your wellness story by Patricia Ryan, MS

Hardly a day of work goes by anymore without hearing the word outcomes. Managers and boards of directors want to know if the wellness program is getting results, as do the older adults who are thinking about joining your program or moving into your community. If they spend the money on wellness, what will they get in return? Outcomes help answer this question. An “outcome” is an end result, often quantified as a number. For example, the number of participants or the percent of leg strength gained following an eight-week exercise class, or the “percent satisfied” score on a survey. Outcomes have been a cornerstone of the medical model, where the results of tests and examinations are charted to guide care decisions. For the same reason, outcomes are valuable for the wellness model. Program outcomes are the tool used to make sure a program is effective for the older adults being served.