Mar 10, 2009 5:44 pm US/Central
Premier Center For Eating Disorders Opens In Metro
(WCCO)
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Park Nicollet is opening what may be the premier treatment facility in the nation to help people with eating disorders called the Melrose Institute.
CBS
Up to 80 percent of American women will deal with something called "disordered eating." For 11 million to 14 million Americans, the obsession with binge eating or dieting has already become an eating disorder. Within a week, Park Nicollet will open what may be the premier treatment facility in the nation.
"The attention to detail in the facility is phenomenal," said Dr. Joel Jahraus, as he showed WCCO-TV around the new $32 million Melrose Institute. Jahraus is the Executive Director of the eating disorders center.
Park Nicollet Health Services built the Institute with multi-levels of care to accommodate the full spectrum of needs for 1200 out-patient clients and dozens of people admitted for in-patient care. The need for such treatment is growing.
Up to 1 percent of the U.S. population is anorexic; 4 percent are bulimic. An even higher percentage binge-eat themselves into obesity.
For years Park Nicollet and Jahraus' reputations have been attracting patients from across the nation.
"I know, for instance, in Montana there's no eating disorders treatment, there's very little in the Dakotas and Iowa," said Melrose Institute's Business Manager, Shannon McCartney-Simper. "So, we've really made it our mission to reach out to those areas."
"When we compared our January 2009 patient intake to January 2008, they were up 36 percent," said Jahraus.
The residential component of the facility allows patients with significant behavioral challenges to stay three to six months. Design details include narrow bathroom mirrors to discourage obsessing over body width. Color schemes are based on psychology.
"Colors, like reds and yellows, stimulate appetite," said Jahraus. "Blues and purples turn it off."
Outside is a serene healing garden featuring a walking labyrinth. Inside the 67,000 square foot facility brings together eating disorders programs that had been scattered in five Park Nicollet buildings.
The 20 medical disciplines include psychiatrists, therapists, dieticians, general practitioners, occupational therapy and physical therapy specialists.
Programs are modeled after a university curriculum, in that patients are allowed to choose up to 50 percent of their areas of study and counseling. Among the "real world" skills offered are healthy cooking and grocery shopping. Counseling sessions also include families whenever possible.
"Counselors will come in and sit down at the dining table and mediate and say to parents, 'you know that comment might not be real helpful. [They will ask], how can you do that a little better?" said Jahraus.
Among the fastest growing groups of people seeking help are middle-aged women and girls under the age of 13. Insurance generally covers eating disorders treatment in Minnesota.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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