WEIGHT  LOSS  FOREVER  -­  LIMARP  SUPPORT  GROUP  GUIDELINES  

 
 
“Patients  who  are  candidates  for  the  surgical  procedures  should  be  selected  carefully  after  evaluation  by  a  
multidisciplinary  team  with  access  to  medical,  surgical,  psychiatric,  and  nutritional  expertise.”    
-­‐ NIH  consensus  statement  1991  
 
 
“…An  integral  program  must  be  in  place  to  provide  guidance  on  diet,  physical  activity  and  behavioral    
therapy,  as  well  as  to  provide  social  support  before  and  after  surgery.  
-­‐ NIDDK;  1998  
The  Practice  Guide  to  the  Identification,  Evaluation  &  Treatment  of  Overweight  and  Obesity  in  Adults  
 
 
“Postoperative  care,  nutritional  counseling,  and  surveillance  should  continue  for  an  indefinitely  long  
period.”  
-­‐  NIH  consensus  statement  1991  
 
 
Weight  Loss  Forever  provides  ongoing  Support  Groups  for  our  patients  as  a  core  
function  of  our  patient  service.    Support  groups  give  our  staff  the  ability  to  
effectively  manage  the  short  and  long-­‐term  expectations  and  outcomes  of  our  
patients.      
 
 
PATIENT  BENEFITS  OF  OUR  SUPPORT  GROUP  PROGRAMME:  
−Fellowship  through  a  common  bond    
−Source  of  up-­‐to-­‐date  information  about  surgery  and  latest  developments  
−Education  in  nutrition,  exercise,  and  post-­‐op  needs  
−Allow  patients  to  share  their  experiences  
−Increases  bariatric  surgery  success  
−Learn  behavior  modification  skills  
 
 
SUPPORT  GROUP  RULES:  
−Only  one  person  talks  at  a  time  
−Turn  off  all  cell  phones  and  pagers  
−No  one  is  allowed  to  dominate  conversation  
−Confidentiality  of  all  statements  in  group  must  be  respected  
−The  group  leader’s  role  must  be  respected  
−Begin  and  end  meeting  on  time  
 
 

st
WEIGHT LOSS FOREVER LTD. Suite 15 – 901 1 Ave N. SASKATOON SK S7K 1Y4
TEL: (306) 665-8891 TOLL-FREE: 1-877-306-8891 FAX: (306) 665-8848
EMAIL: INFO@WEIGHTLOSSFOREVER.CA
 
  
 
GROUP  LEADERS:  
−Must  be  enthusiastic,  knowledgeable,  positive  about  bariatric  surgery  and  
motivating  
−Is  a  representative  of  Weight  Loss  Forever  -­‐  LIMARP    
−Trained  to  help  the  group  establish  the  framework  of  the  meeting    
−Provides  a  safe,  compassionate  environment  to  connect  to  one  another  in  
productive  and  meaningful  way  
−Facilitates  the  discussions  as  appropriate  
 
 
SAMPLE  GUEST  SPEAKERS:  
−Surgeon  and  other  medical  specialists  
−Nutrition  expert  
−Hospital  staff  (RN,  RD,  PT,  OT,  RT,  etc.)  
−Exercise  specialist  
−Behavioral  health  expert  
 
 
MEETING  AGENDAS:  
−Welcome  
−Privacy  Statement  
−Introductions  
−Educational  topic  
−Q/A  and  discussion  
−Adjournment  
 
 
EDUCATIONAL  TOPICS  MUST  BE:  
−Content  focused  
−Key  to  group  retention  
−Limit  speaker  to  30  minutes    
−Q/A  
−Provide  evaluation  forms  
 
 

st
WEIGHT LOSS FOREVER LTD. Suite 15 – 901 1 Ave N. SASKATOON SK S7K 1Y4
TEL: (306) 665-8891 TOLL-FREE: 1-877-306-8891 FAX: (306) 665-8848
EMAIL: INFO@WEIGHTLOSSFOREVER.CA
 
  
 
MONTHLY  SUPPORT  GROUP  TOPICS  
−Nutrition/weight  regain  
−Behavior  modification  
−Life  after  bariatric  surgery  
−Long  term  success  
−Vitamins  and  minerals  
−Calcium  and  bone  health  
−Depression,  emotional  issues  
−Stress  and  coping  skills  
−Family/couple/friends  adjustment  to  surgery  
−Starting  an  exercise/activity  program  
−Body  image  and  weight  loss,  makeovers,  beauty  tips  
−Getting  creative  with  nutrition,  cooking  for  Gastric  Bypass  
−Pain  management  
−Stress  management,  psychological  consequences  of  obesity  
−Lifestyle  changes,  behavior  modification  
−Goal  setting  
−Self-­‐esteem,  cognitive  changes  
−Family/social  interactions  
 
 
TOPICS  WE  DON’T  COVER  
−Deep  emotional  issues/abuse  
−Religious,  political  
−Topics  not  within  area  of  professional  expertise  
 
 
 

st
WEIGHT LOSS FOREVER LTD. Suite 15 – 901 1 Ave N. SASKATOON SK S7K 1Y4
TEL: (306) 665-8891 TOLL-FREE: 1-877-306-8891 FAX: (306) 665-8848
EMAIL: INFO@WEIGHTLOSSFOREVER.CA