Neurological Examination and Intervention for the Older Adult

Dr. Carole B. Lewis, PT, DPT, MSG, MPA, PhD, GCS, GTCCS, TRC/CTR, FSOAE, FAPTA

20 Contact Hours

This seminar will provide participants with the most up-to-date information on neurological rehabilitation of the older adult seen in any setting.  Join Dr. Carole Lewis as she demonstrates and explores examination tools and intervention protocols/ideas designed and most appropriate for older patients with diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and gait and balance disorders.  Cutting edge Information on the physiology of aging will also be presented as well as a special feature on burnout.  The 300-page handout includes 6,000 current medical references, detailed examination forms, outcome measures, intervention techniques, protocols and sample home exercises that can be used immediately with patients.

Orthopedic Examination and Intervention for the Older Adult

Dr. Carole B. Lewis, PT, DPT, MSG, MPA, PhD, GCS, GTCCS, TRC/CTR, FSOAE, FAPTA

20 contact hours

Learn new evidence-based examination and creative intervention techniques for a myriad of orthopedic problems of frail to robust older persons.  Dr. Carole Lewis’ all new handout contains all of the seminar slides, assessments, protocols, and thousands of references and tools. This is the most comprehensive geriatric orthopedic course in the country.

Full Spectrum Falls Training for the Older Adult

Deborah Constantine, PT, DPT, GCS, GTCCS, CEEAA

20 Contact Hours

Falls in the older adult population continue as a medical, social, and economic crisis. In fact, fall rates over the past decade have been steadily increasing. This, despite our efforts to reduce fall rates using Clinical Practice Guidelines and directing funding toward fall prevention strategies. Patients report they remain fearful of falling. What can we as clinical practitioners do to mitigate this upward trend? Perhaps we can initiate full spectrum fall training efforts.

Effective Manual Therapy to Treat Older Adults

What Works?

Dr. Dennis Welling, PT, MTC, DPT, FSOAE

20 Contact Hours

Dr. Dennis Welling, PT, MTC, DPT, FSOAE will provide an extensive review of the literature for issues commonly seen in older adults. This review will cover pathology encompassing the back, neck, shoulder, hip, ankle, foot, upper extremity, and knee. He will explain and demonstrate exercise protocols associated with manual therapy techniques. Dennis Welling, an experienced and dually certified manual therapist, will present an overview with demonstrations of the effects of manual therapy as supported by the most recent research. Additionally, he will present the common mistakes and suggestions for proper execution of this important modality. You will leave feeling competent in adding many different manual techniques to your current rehabilitation program.

Clinical Pharmacology:

Implications for Therapists Working with Older Adults

Kenneth Miller, PT, DPT, GCS, CEEAA

20 Contact Hours

Want to be better prepared to manage the effects of medications on your patients? Therapists need to be able to effectively evaluate and treat patients whether their medications are assisting or interfering with the patient’s ADL’s and IADL’s.

This seminar provides participants with the information required to incorporate pharmacology and medication management into practice with the geriatric patient. You will learn to effectively treat patients experiencing polypharmacy, and also learn techniques to help monitor patients for intended effects, untoward effects, side effects and to assist physicians and nurses with safe medication use and medication adherence. Evidence-based resources will be provided to assist the participant with safe medication use. The course manual is a fabulous resource for daily practice.

Evidence Based Management with Patients with Dementia

Nicole Dawson , PT, PhD, GCS

20 contact hours

Do you know which aspects of cognition are the strongest throughout the progression of dementia? Do you feel confident in your ability to use your patient’s cognitive abilities to promote a successful episode of care? That’s what this course is about. While patients with dementia pose unique challenges to rehabilitation professionals, the potential benefits from quality therapy is astounding.

This course will provide a better understanding of cognitive aging and build your skills and confidence in your ability to improve the quality of life of your patients with dementia. Barriers to treatment will be addressed along with best practice and evidence-based approaches to overcome the challenges to improving functional outcomes for these patients. The different types of dementia will be discussed, highlighting effective strategies to maximize patient outcomes. Understanding the use of a strength-based approach will be emphasized to help you and your staff better treat this growing and unique group of patients.

Exercise Can Change the Parkinson Brain!

Valerie A. Carter, PT, DPT, NCS

20 contact hours

This course is designed to provide research based insights for the clinician seeking to understand the background, including pathophysiology, etiology and differential diagnosis, appropriate tests and measures, interventions as well as medications for patients aging with Parkinson Disease.

Functional Standards for Optimal Aging Expert

J. Kele Murdin, PT, GCS, GTCCS, CEEAA, FSOAE

20 Contact Hours

The FSOAE is based on the Adult Functional Independence Test (AFIT), which comprises 15 functional assessments used to measure the key components of optimal aging for middle age and older adults: posture, flexibility, balance, endurance, and strength.

All AFIT measures are research-based and provide national norms or predictive analytics – the scores that indicate risk. Participants learn the evidence supporting each measure, how to correctly perform each assessment and how to explain the implications to their patients/ clients. Evidence based exercises will be provided as suggested resources for the problems identified.

Course participants will participate in case studies, which include counseling patients with regard to the appropriate course of action. Information on marketing this tool to physicians, health agencies, and the community is provided and practical, how-to handouts are included that the course participants can download and use immediately. To earn their FSOAE, participants will demonstrate their competence by means of a motivational case study script, a written exam and a practical exam.

Interventions for Older Adults Across the Continuum

Linda McAllister, PT, DPT, GCS, GTCCS, CEEAA, CEAGN, FSOAE

20 contact hours

In this course, Linda McAllister pares down research into the most clinically applicable nuggets that can produce the best patient results. But the true brilliance of this course is in its commitment not just to teaching new content, but to skill development.

Over 50% of the course is devoted to practicing the techniques presented.

This course puts new tools and protocols at your fingertips, so you’re comfortable implementing them right away. You’ll take home over 50 new evidence based treatment protocols for older adults that you can use immediately to get great results.

The surge of aging baby boomers gives us a rich opportunity as they enter our clinics in unprecedented numbers. Join Linda McAllister to update your knowledge, skills and confidence in treating this population. Walk away with a toolbox full of research supported evaluation tools and intervention protocols and the ability to implement these innovations with confidence.

Maximizing Mobility, Balance, Gait, and Fall Reduction Strategies to Improve Functional Outcomes in Older Adults

Trent Brown , MOT, OTR/L, ATP, CFPS, CGCP, BCG

20 contact hours

How can I improve quality of life and participation in meaningful activity while meeting the demands of the industry? How can I effectively evaluate and provide treatment strategies addressing stability, mobility, falls, confidence, gait, and mobility with my clients in their specific context?

If these questions are occupying your thoughts these days, then this innovative, evidence-based course is for you. You’ll learn new perspectives, at least a dozen assessment tools that provide objective data, and 2-3 dozen treatment strategies. And…you’ll be engaged and energized.

Trent Brown is known for making learning fun. His course is based on solid evidence, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t engaging. He is crazy creative! To make sure that you leave with practices that can be put to use safely tomorrow, he devotes 6-7 hours of this course to lab work. You will learn, practice, get feedback, and then practice again until you have mastered the skills.

Trent’s course manual is referred to as a picture book because it includes pictures of deficits, pictures of research results that address the problem (actual pictures, not just words), and then pictures of a therapist using assessments and interventions while working with a patient. Participants LOVE the picture book and many have told Trent that they attend his course because they’ve seen their colleagues’ picture book.

Rehabilitation Strategies for the Older Adult with Multi-Morbidity

Dr. Debra Gray, PT, DHSc, DPT, GCS, CEEAA, GTCCS, FSOAE, CAPS

20 contact hours

As the population ages, rehabilitation specialists must be prepared to recognize and consider the multiple chronic conditions commonly seen in older adults. The purpose of this seminar is to provide participants with the most current information and evidence on multi-morbidity with aging, components of comprehensive geriatric examination, and the implications of common chronic conditions in the development and implementation of highly skilled rehabilitation programs for medically complex older persons. The interactive seminar format combines lecture, discussion, videos, case studies, and hands-on activities to present the most recent research, examination tools, and interventions for older adults with multi-morbidity. An extensive course manual includes current primary references, detailed evaluation forms, outcome measures, suggested protocols, sample home exercises, and progressions.

Therapeutic Exercise for the Older Adult

Mark Traffas, PT, GTCCS, FSOAE

20 Contact Hours

Exercising geriatric patients presents a unique challenge to therapists. Most patients have multiple diagnoses, take multiple medications and are frequently deconditioned and possibly have never previously exercised. Participants will learn different exercise techniques and innovative interventions for all of the body’s major joints as well as for the most common diagnoses seen in older persons (i.e., stroke, Parkinson’s disease, gait and balance deficits, etc.). Participants will also learn how to use functional tools to establish and guide exercise programs, thus improving functional test scores, outcomes and safe mobility. Evidence-based research will be used to support the efficacy of the geriatric exercises presented and both indications and contraindications will be discussed. Participants will be instructed in which modalities have been proven to enhance therapeutic exercise as well as how to bill for treatment to maximize financial return. Our older patients also present challenges in learning new exercises and being motivated to perform. This course will also present multiple ideas to improve communication, learning and motivation that will only serve to enhance the overall exercise program and functional outcome. Developing geriatric exercise programs is challenging and sometimes difficult but can also be fun and rewarding. This course will provide therapists the opportunity to broaden their horizons.

Taking Balance to the Limits

Janene Barber, PT, GTCCS

20 Contact Hours

Do you feel at times that you have designed and delivered the best gait and balance program and yet your patients still have some problems with their balance?

This course goes beyond all you have learned about the effects of speed, strength and range of motion limitations as causes for balance dysfunction. You will leave with an in depth knowledge and skill in the postural dyscontrol, somatosensation and vestibular arenas. The instructor has taught and treated extensively in this area with astounding results with her patients and clinicians. Her skills in this area are unparralled. Take home innovative useable evaluation and treatment techniques that will dramatically change your practice. You and your patients deserve to receive this cutting edge information.

Total Joint Arthroplasty

Alisa Curry, PT, DPT, GTCCS, GCS, FSOAE, CSRS

20 Contact Hours

Total joint arthroplasty, as a treatment strategy for arthritis, has improved the lives of millions of patients. The role of Physical Therapy, however, has adapted to the speed at which patients improve function. The field has evolved due to the advancement of surgical techniques, components, and pain management.

This course helps to educate clinicians on the multidisciplinary role over the entire care continuum. We evaluate, discuss, and develop care strategies for patients living with older joint implants, patients preparing for surgery and postoperative joint arthroplasty in the world of rapid recovery. We will integrate a combination of lectures, case studies, interactive participation, and videos into a comprehensive educational experience.

By examining the procedures of the hip, knee and shoulder, clinicians will explore patient pathologies, understanding the role of pharmacology, the role of education and the rehabilitation role in the interdisciplinary treatment team. Participants will learn a variety of treatment ideas and outcome tools to improve existing protocols.