Seminar Description:
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.
Course Objectives
- Demonstrate multiple evidence based exercises for every major joint in the body.
- Use evidence based references to strength the following muscle and muscle groups: * Scapular and rotator cuff * Core stability * Lateral stabilizer of the hip * Vastus Medialis
- Support geriatric exercise programs through medical literature.
- Discuss basic exercise principles, which will enhance clinical therapeutic exercise programs.
- List barriers to for use of evidence based practice in the clinical setting.
- Learn strategies to assess the quality of a study.
- List the levels of evidence used to assess a study.
- Guide a patient through a strengthening program using the principles of 1 repetition maximum.
- Utilize gait and balance assessments to establish and direct exercise programs for the geriatric population.
- Create an evidenced based exercise program to improve the balance of an older adult.
- Guide a patient with Parkinson’s Disease through an appropriate exercise program addressing related functional de cits.
- Progress a patient with a CVA through all phases of neuromuscular re-education.
- Be able to use the site of infarct in a CVA patient to guide exercise treatments.
- Use the fundamental positions of Tai Chi for patient treatments in balance, proprioception, posture, and gait.
- List 10 contraindications/precautions to exercise in the elderly.
- Understand the di erences of stretching techniques for the older vs. younger population.
- Guide a patient with osteoporosis through an e cacious and e cient exercise program.
Your Instructor
Mark Traffas, PT, GTCCS, FSOAE
Mark Traffas, PT, GTC, FSOAE, has practiced clinically as a physical therapist in acute, subacute, skilled nursing, acute rehabilitation, outpatient, and home health care. These unique opportunities have allowed him to work with and develop exercise programs for geriatric clients in all phases of recovery. He has exclusively worked in the geriatric setting for 10 years.
In addition, he has worked as a physical therapist in the Peace Corps in Malawi, Africa. While in Africa, he had to rely primarily on therapeutic exercises and improvisation for treatment interventions, as few modalities, such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound were available. Since his return he has focused his career on the geriatric population in both the outpatient and skilled nursing settings.
He was in the first group of physical therapists to take and pass the Geriatric Training Certification and now works as the Director of Physical Therapy in a skilled nursing facility in San Jose, California. He actively promotes exercise for older persons as the best cure for most conditions and believes the sharing of ideas will only add to our profession and, more importantly, to the quality of life of our aged population.
For Mail/Email/Fax registrations, click here or call us at 877-794-7328.
Note: We cannot take online registrations beginning on the Monday of the week of the seminar. Instead, please call our office at (877) 794-7328 to register so we can ensure there will be a handout at the course for you.
CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY:
Cancellations must be received in writing at least two weeks prior to the seminar date for tuition refund less a $75 administration fee. NO refunds will be made after this date.
Registration Cost
Early Bird = $50 discount
Regular = $545
Late Fee = add $25