Career Center AES Connect

PACES in Epilepsy: Program of Active Consumer Engagement in Self-Management

AES is pleased to collaborate with the Managing Epilepsy Well Network (MEW) to provide epilepsy self-management resources and program information.

PACES 

PACES in Epilepsy (Program of Active Consumer Engagement in Self-Management) is a group program that uses a goal-oriented, psychosocial curriculum to teach self-management and emotional coping strategies to adults with epilepsy. The program consists of eight weekly sessions; each session lasting one hour. PACES in Epilepsy is developed from consumer (patient) perspectives about managing problems related to epilepsy.

Program sessions focus on:

  • Epilepsy and Medical Issues
  • Dealing with Stress and the Blues (Parts 1 and 2)
  • Compensating for Cognitive Challenges
  • Getting the Most out of Community Living
  • Managing My Epilepsy Care
  • Effective Communication Strategies
  • My Health and Well-Being


About the PACES Program

PACES in Epilepsy is facilitated by a trained epilepsy professional and a peer. Groups of three to seven people with epilepsy meet by phone or telehealth platform. When enrolled in PACES in Epilepsy, patients will receive a treatment workbook along with information and support for pursuing their desired goals.

Patients may benefit from PACES in Epilepsy if they want to meet other people with epilepsy who share a similar desire to learn and improve; want to more effectively solve their problems; and/or want to develop strategies for living well with epilepsy.


Information for Providers

PACES is an eight-session epilepsy self-management program developed with direct input from adults with epilepsy at the University of Washington Epilepsy Center/ Health Promotion Research Center and subject to randomized control evaluation with funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

PACES was developed through an extensive survey of 225 adults recruited across two Seattle epilepsy centers. The response rate was high (61%) with strong response reliability and validation by replication in the southwestern United States.

Respondents identified their most important adjustment concerns and also the program elements that were important to them (viz., number and length of sessions, delivery modality, intervention approach, leadership, session schedule, etc.). Based upon the prevalent responses related to depression and attention/memory concerns, PACES utilizes a psychoeducational approach and emphasizes coping strategies in specific modules and throughout the program.

Training in PACES involves both the epilepsy professional and identified peer. It takes four hours and is offered bi-monthly via the University of Washington. 

Certified/trained PACES facilitators receive ongoing technical assistance on a monthly basis; treatment and program implementation materials; access to the provider network.



Questions? Please email HI.AES@hitchcock.org

 

 

 

 

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Key Reference Publications

Johnson, E.K., Fraser, R.T., Lashley, S., Barber, J., Brandling-Bennett, E.M., Vossler, D.G., et al. (2020). PACES in Epilepsy: Replication and extension of a self-management randomized controlled trial. Epilepsia. doi: 10.1111/epi.16530.

Fraser, R.T., Johnson, E.K., Lashley, S., Barber, J., Chaytor, N.A., Miller, J.W., et al. (2015). PACES in Epilepsy: Results of a self-management randomized controlled trial. Epilepsia, 56(8), 1264-74.

Johnson, E.K., Fraser, R.T., Miller, J.W., Temkin, N., Barber, J., Caylor, L., et al. (2012). A comparison of self-management needs: Provider and patient perspectives. Epilepsy and Behavior, 25, 150-55.

Fraser, R.T., Johnson, E.K., Miller, J.W., Temkin, N., Barber, J., Caylor, L., et al. (2011). Managing epilepsy well: Self-management needs assessment. Epilepsy & Behavior, 20, 291-98.