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Assessment and Treatment Strategies for Dementia, Delirium, and Depression

Toni Patt, PT, DPT, GCS, NCS

One in four patients admitted to an acute care hospital have dementia. Delirium superimposed on those patients accounts for 65% of cases diagnosed with delirium. Thirty percent of all older adults have a diagnosis of depression at any given time. These diagnoses frequently occur together and often are mistaken for one another. Therapists working with older adults will treat patients with these diagnoses more often than one would think, so it is important they be prepared to properly assess patients with one or more of these issues to optimize treatment planning. This course will examine each diagnosis, discuss the similarities and differences of the three, and provide guidelines for treatments.Highlights Distinguish between dementia, delirium and depression when occur simultaneously in patients Treatment plans that incorporate the components of each process to improve outcomes Communication strategies for patients with impaired cognition

Caring for Dementia Patients

Anysia Ensslen-Boggs, Ed.D., M.S., CCC-SLP

Dementia is a broad term for a decline in mental ability that is significant enough to interfere with a person's daily life. Over 5 million Americans are living with dementia; someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease every 65seconds. This number is expected to double by 2030, and triple by 2050. Since there is no cure for dementia, this disease results in a progressive decline of cognitive and functional skills. Many individuals with dementia also experience behavioral changes, decreased safety awareness, difficulty eating/swallowing, and decreased independence completing activities of daily living (ADLs). This course is designed for therapists and healthcare professionals so that they may improve outcomes, safety, and quality of life for individuals and their caregivers living with dementia. This course will teach functional and evidence-based techniques, interventions, and education/training strategies. Participants will learn about assessments and screening tools which may be used at all stages of progressive cognitive decline, and how to use those tools to develop individualized treatment plans. Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary treatment, documentation challenges, improving patient safety, and caregiver education.Highlights Improve your knowledge of the physical and cognitive implications of dementia in order to more effectively implement evidence-based treatment approaches Use evidence-based treatment approaches to increase participation in d...

Stroke Rehab in the Home and Outpatient Settings

Mary Vanesko MOT, OTR/L, CIMI, CPY and Katie O'Shea, PT, DPT, MBA, GCS, CDP

According to the CDC, stroke causes 1 of every 20 deaths in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in theUnited States. Despite the increase in technology, physical and occupational therapists are frequently called upon to collaboratively plan for post-acute care services. This course will focus on discipline-specific interventions in the inpatient home and outpatient setting as well as collaborative interdisciplinary approach to care, while minimizing duplication services. This course is aimed to provide a systematic approach to understanding the home and outpatient examination and implementation of plan of care for the patient who has suffered from a stroke. The attendees will take home specific strategies to provide comprehensive evaluations and focus on functional outcomes. Through interdisciplinary discussion and real-life case studies, attendees will make insightful and accurate recommendations for the next level of care.Highlights Implement an effective evaluation and treatment for the stroke patient in the home or out-patient setting Safely apply individualized interdisciplinary assessment and intervention in the home and outpatient setting with patients who have suffered from a strokeEffective recommendations for discharge plans from the home and outpatient settings, and referral to community services

Stroke Rehab in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting

Mary Vanesko, MOT, OTR/L, CIMI, CPY`s Katie O'Shea, PT, DPT, MBA, GCS, CDP

According to the CDC, stroke causes 1 of every 20 deaths in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in theUnited States. Despite the in-crease in technology, physical and occupational therapists are frequently called upon to collaboratively plan for post-acute care services. This course will focus on discipline-specific interventions in the inpatient rehab setting as well as collaborative interdisciplinary approaches to care, while minimizing duplication services. The goal for this course is to provide a systematic approach to understanding the inpatient rehab examination and implementation of POC for the patient who has suffered from a stroke. Attendees will take home specific strategies to provide comprehensive evaluations and focus on functional outcomes. Through interdisciplinary discussion and real-life case studies, attendees will make insightful and accurate recommendations for the next level of care.Highlights Implementing an effective evaluation and treatment for the patient by fully understanding the impact of stroke pathology in the rehab setting Safely apply individualized interdisciplinary assessment and intervention in the rehab setting with patients who have suffered from a stroke Promote safe and effective disposition recommendations and discharge plans from the post-acute setting in complicated cases

Stroke Rehab in the Acute Care Setting

According to the CDC, stroke causes 1 of every 20 deaths in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in theUnited States. Despite the increase in technology, physical and occupational therapists are frequently called upon to collaboratively plan for post-acute care services. This course will focus on discipline-specific interventions in the acute caresetting as well as collaborative interdisciplinary approach to care, while minimizing duplication of services. This course is aimed to provide a systematic approach to understanding the acute care examination and implementation of POC for the patient who has suffered from a stroke. The attendees will take home specific strategies to provide comprehensive evaluations and focus on functional outcomes. Through interdisciplinary discussion and real-life case studies, attendees will make insightful and accurate recommendations for the next level of care.Highlights Pathology of different types of strokes to implement an effective evaluation and treatment for the patientSafely apply individualized interdisciplinary assessment and intervention in the acute care setting with patients who have suffered from a stroke Promote safe and effective disposition recommendations and discharge plans from the acute care setting in complicated cases

Effective Rehabilitation Approaches for Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Naseem Chatiwala, PT, DPT, MS, NCS

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world with approximately 930,000 people living with it in the United States. Patients with Parkinson's present with a wide range of complexities that originate from direct consequences of the disease, but also from medicinal side effects and lack of activity. In addition to having motor impairments of dyskinesia, postural instability, imbalance, rigidity, tremors, gait impairments, patients with PD also have difficulty in other areas of personal and contextual factors like coping strategies, attitudes, as well as social and societal interactions. One of the most serious disability symptoms of patients with Parkinson's is freezing of gait (FOG) with almost 80% of patients experiencing it. Medication has been the traditional go to for management of Parkinson's. However, the patient still poses risk of deterioration on physical function, activities of daily living, and participation in social interactions. This can lead to inactivity, social isolation and reduced quality of life. Therefore a wide variety of health professionals need to work collaboratively and be educated on the latest rehabilitation strategies to effectively and efficiently address patient goals and function in this unique population.Highlights Physiology of typical and atypical presentation of Parkinson's disease Review assessment tools validated to assess function in patients with Parkinson's disease Effective techniques to he...

Parkinson's Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Assessment, and Treatment

Anysia Ensslen-Boggs, Ed.D., M.S., CCC-SLP

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects neurons in a specific area of the brain called the substantia nigra. Symptoms generally develop slowly over several years. The progression of symptoms is often quite different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rated complications from PD as the 14th cause of death in the United States. Although there is no cure, treatment options can include medications, surgeries, physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy. While Parkinson's itself is not fatal, disease complications can be serious. It is possible to have a good to great quality of life while living with PD. The first step to living well with Parkinson's disease is to understand the nature of the disease and its progression. As rehabilitation professionals, it is important for us to understand the causes of PD, early signs of PD, movement and non-movement symptoms, and the various diagnosis and treatment options for those living with PD.Highlights Causes and symptoms of Parkinson's disease and how they can affect aspects of diagnosis and treatment within your specific discipline Diagnostic and therapeutic options when designing functional treatment plans for patients with Parkinson's disease

Rehabilitation Considerations in Geriatric Oncology

Nicole Scheiman, DrOT, MHS, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, CKTP, CEES-Advanced, CES, CSST, CDCS, CORE

Age is the single most significant risk factor for developing cancer, with 60% of all newly diagnosed malignant tumors and 70% of all cancer deaths occurring in persons 65 years or older (Korc-Grodzicki & Tew, 2017). Increased survival, along with a rise in new diagnoses of cancer among older adults, makes geriatric cancer patients the largest proportion of the population of cancer survivors in the United States (Extermann, 2020). Therefore, clinicians working with the older adult population are charged with understanding cancer treatment paired with the unique needs of the aging individual. This course will improve your understanding of these distinct rehabilitation needs of the older adult with cancer to enable you to provide effective treatment options to enhance overall quality of life in your daily practice.Highlights Immediately improve your understanding of the unique rehabilitation needs of the older adult with cancer Confidently provide safe, effective, and age-friendly treatment options for older adults receiving medical intervention for cancer

Vestibular Rehab

Anysia Ensslen-Boggs, Ed.D., M.S., CCC-SLP

Dizziness accounts for up to 11% of Emergency Department visits each year in the United States, approximately 40% of these patients have peripheral vestibular dysfunction. The key to recognizing dizziness caused by peripheral vestibular dysfunction is recognizing nystagmus, involuntary jumping of the eyes. Physical and occupational therapists can play an important role in helping to identify the presence of a peripheral vestibular disorder, thus potentially saving money on unnecessary testing and lengthy hospital stays. This presentation will provide an overview of the anatomy of the vestibular system as well as the pathophysiology of common etiologies that can cause dizziness. Participants will learn evidence-based oculomotor examinations aimed at identifying abnormal eye movements and nystagmus patterns to help identify potential causes of dizziness and lead to an appropriate differential diagnosis.Highlights Practice and review evidence-based bedside oculomotor assessments to help identify central and peripheral sources of vertigo Integrate learning to immediately apply to your PT/OT practice through video and case study-based examples

Implementing an Exercise-Based Approach to Treat Progressive Neurological Diagnoses

Meredith Roberts Lo, PT, DPT

Over 1.2 million people in the US are diagnosed withParkinson's and this is expected to double by 2030. There is no cure for Parkinson's and other chronic progressive neurological diseases currently. However, our research has been demonstrating the effectiveness of exercise on slowing down disease progression and improving motor control recovery for our neurological population. As physical and occupational therapists, our expertise is in applying exercise physiology to pathology. We are the experts in pairing these two components and teaching our patients how to utilize them for their highest possible quality of life and functional status. If you want to do more than just help your patient compensate and give them the tools to target the disease itself, this class is for you. Learn how to take our exciting growing body of research and impact not only your client's quality of life, but your own. This workshop will bring you up to date on current research that demonstrates the effectiveness of exercise as a tool for modifying disease progression in neurological diagnoses. Participants will leave with a variety of treatment ideas and the tools to modify or progress these for any setting or impairment level. Didactic lab-based activities using case studies will allow the participants to enhance their skill in designing interventions that utilize the research presented. On returning to your patients you will be able to immediately put into place the treatment ideas and progression...