Full Course Description

COVID-19 Long Haulers Symposium: Solutions for Rehab Professionals

SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 has taken so much, don’t allow quality of life and the independence of your patients be another item on the list.

There are so many questions and conflicting answers…  

How hard should you be pushing these patients?
Which evaluation techniques and special tests are most effective for this population?
You’re treating them for another diagnosis…but they had COVID…how do you modify your plan of care?
How do you treat functional limitations stemming from COVID-19?

Get the answers to the above and so much more in this action packed 2-day transformational recording. Acute care, Rehab or Outpatient – uncover strategies to meet the unique needs of your patients. Featuring content experts Dr. Karen Pryor, PhD, PT, DPT, and Shelly Denes, PT, this dynamic duo brings a wealth of knowledge from extensive clinical practice in nearly every setting. They will build a solid foundation in addition to offering clinical pearls from their combined 70+ years of experience.

This comprehensive training breaks down what SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and ‘Long Covid’ is and how it impacts nearly every system of the human body. You’ll discover how to:

Perform a thorough evaluation for a patient with respect to Long COVID to identify functional limitations and deficits
Conduct a complete neurologic assessment
Assess contributions from related organ systems
Construct an evidence-based plan of care to address the above findings in addition to considerations with brain fog, fatigue, pain, neuropathy, myalgias and sleep disorders

Program Information

Objectives

Differentiate the clinical features of viruses, specifically SARS-CoV-2.
Investigate the latest available treatments for the management of COVID-19, including the vaccines to prevent COVID-19 for the outpatient setting and individuals at home.
Develop an understanding of what constitutes a COVID-19 ‘Long Hauler’.
Construct an evidence-based toolkit for neurological, musculoskeletal and organ system challenges for outpatient symptom management.
Justify the importance of sleep/rest in rehabilitation post SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Assess for symptoms of the immune response in COVID-19 ‘Long Haulers’ and how to address these changes.
Investigate the significance of the inflammatory response in COVID-19 and how to address these changes in patients.
Differentiate cytokine storms and how it relates to multi-organ failure and coagulation.
Investigate post-viral autonomic dysregulation and how to rewire with neuroplasticity techniques.
Appraise, accommodate, and treat rehabilitation challenges such as brain fog with poor memory of home program, tachycardia, POTS, and immune system challenges.
Analyze symptoms of autonomic system dysfunction including night sweats, temperature dysregulation, gastroparesis, and peripheral vasoconstriction.
Appraise anxiety levels and discuss changes in the emotional environment of the COVID-19 patient.

Outline

SAR-Co-V2 and COVID-19
1. SAR-CoV-2 VIRUS DEFINITION and DETAILS
2. COVID-19 DISEASE and ‘LONG HAULERS’
3. The huge impact on the body’s:
  1. AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
  2. SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
  3. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
The COVID ‘Long Hauer’
1. Pre-existing diseases and their impact on COVID-19
  1. Hyperglycemia
2. History of Covid Symptoms
3. Exposure
4. Nutrition? High sugar, salt, things that feed virus
Pathology of illness and course in hospital
1. ICU
2. Respirator
3. Feeding – IV, Feeding tube
Comprehensive Evaluation with emphasis on the Neuro Screen
1. Neuro
  1. Damage to CNS
  2. Damage and Symptoms of ANS
  3. Homeostasis?
2. CNS
  1. Blood Brain Barrier
  2. Stroke
  3. Headaches
  4. Tremors
3. Cranial nerves
  1. Visual tracking
  2. Hearing
  3. Swallowing
  4. Chewing
  5. Vagus nerve
  6. Tremors
  7. Balance
  8. Dizziness – Vertigo
4. Peripheral nerves
  1. Numbness – peripheral neuropathy
  2. Tingling
  3. Weakness
5. Strength
  1. Functional movements
  2. Balance – sitting, standing, walking
  3. Gait disturbances
  4. Post exertional malaise
  5. Reaction to heat
  6. Myalgias
6. Pain
  1. Location
  2. Central
  3. Peripheral
7. Brain fog
  1. Extreme fatigue
  2. Poor focus
  3. Difficulty reading
  4. Sleep disturbances
Related Organ Systems
1. Psychology Related
  1. Depression
  2. Anxiety & Reducing Stressors
  3. PTSD
2. Respiratory
  1. Dyspnea
  2. SOBOE
  3. Chest pain
  4. Cough
  5. ‘Happy Hypoxia’
  6. Use of a Pulse Ox
  7. Proning
  8. Breath Control / Nasal Breathing
3. Cardiac
  1. Chest Pain
  2. Myocarditis
  3. Palpitations
  4. Evaluating HR (Apple Watch / EKG Monitor)
4. Vascular
  1. The Inflammation Response
  2. Coagulopathy
5. G-I Tract
  1. Bowel and Bladder Issues
  2. Sore Throat
  3. Nausea
  4. Non-inflammatory Foods
6. Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Pancreas
Persistent Symptoms after the active Covid phase and what can we as health care providers do about it?
1. SOBOE
2. Nerve Pain
3. Myalgias
4. Nerve Pain
5. Anxiety
6. Extreme Fatigue and Post-Exertional Fatigue
  1. AVOID EXHAUSTION AT ALL COSTS
  2. ‘Energy Envelope’
7. Brain Fog
8. Sleeping Disorders
  1. Foundation on the importance of sleep
  2. Healthy Circadian Rhythms
  3. Recommendations with COVID-19 ‘Long Haulers’
POTS & Dysautonomia in Long Haulers
1. What it is
2. “Hitting the Wall”
3. How to deal with it
4. Scenarios for this continuum
Bouncing Back from COVID-19 as a ‘Long Hauler’
1. Beginning Phase
2. Building Phase
3. Being Phase
4. Exercise Prescription
5. Recovery is slow and variable
Ramifications of the New Variants
1. Delta
2. Omicron
3. The Future?
Case Scenarios
Key Takeaways
1. Proning
2. Enough Sleep and REST
3. Correcting Sleep-Wake Cycles
4. Hydration
5. Anti-inflammatory Diet
6. Lower Anxiety Levels / Mindfulness
7. Breath Control / Nasal Breathing / Multi-Dimensional Breathing
8. Compression Socks
9. Stay on the cool side
10. Avoid Fatigue

Target Audience

Physical Therapists
Physical Therapy Assistants
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Other Rehab Professionals

Copyright : 03/14/2022

Mindfulness as Emotional CPR for Clinicians: Increasing Compassion, Peace of Mind, & Resilience

Are you experiencing feelings of physical and emotional exhaustion from the caregiving experience? Many become consumed by attending to others while failing to recognize our own needs. Is the experience leaving you feeling less effective as a clinician? Who takes care of the caregiver? All of these concerns can be reversed with mindfulness practices! Mindfulness may serve as an “Emotional CPR” while improving resilience and increasing compassion for our patients. View this session to develop strategies to reduce the likelihood of experiencing professional burnout while learning how to utilize mindfulness to become a happier and more effective healthcare provider.

Following Covid-19, burnout is greater than ever in the healthcare community
Develop strategies to balance your professional life yet enjoy the rewards of your personal life
Learn how to become more relaxed amid time constraints and unrealistic caseloads
Cultivate stronger emotional regulation

We must take action to alter our perception and experience. Discover mindfulness as the missing key to unlock a happier and healthier work/life balance today.

Program Information

Objectives

Investigate mindfulness and meditation practice with guided breath meditation to decrease stress and anxiety.
Demonstrate proficiency in the use of the STOP practice to regulate emotions and reduce conditioned behaviors as an unconscious response to provocative situations.
Demonstrate awareness of symptoms of “Compassion Burnout” including why healthcare professionals are predisposed to suffering from this phenomenon and strategies to avoid it.
Analyze the literature on resilience and why this is a learned set of skills rather than a predisposition or personality type while developing proficiency with basic techniques to improve a personal level of resilience.
Develop takeaway strategies for immediate implementation to begin the process of creating a healthier work-life balance.

Outline

Mindfulness and meditation practice

Brief Didactic Overview of Mindfulness
Experiential Activity: A Guided Breath Meditation

Regulate emotions and reduce conditioned behaviors

The Physiology of Emotions
How our emotions can drive our behavior
Controlling Emotions By Opening Up a Space Between Stimulus and Response
Experiential: STOP Acronym
Distinguishing Between Positive and Negative Emotions
Innate Bias Towards Love and Kindness

Introducing Emotional CPR

The key to becoming a more effective care partner
Compassion (the Authentic Desire to Relieve Suffering)
Symptoms of “Compassion Burnout”
Why healthcare professionals are predisposed
Understanding Meaning of Equanimity
Experiential: Self Compassion and Equanimity Meditation

Resilience

Peace of Mind: The 2nd component of Emotional CPR
Rapid recovery from stress: the hallmark of resilience (3rd component of Emotional CPR)
Review of the literature on resilience
A learned set of skills rather than a predisposition or personality
Developing proficiency with basic techniques to improve a personal level of resilience
Embodying resilience: learning to flow like water

Take away strategies

Immediate implementation to begin the process of creating a healthier work-life balance
The importance of the heart - body - mind triad
The “river of energy” (the flow of our inner “Chi”)
Where does all your personal energy go?
Experiential activity: the wheel of life
The power of setting intentions
Simple techniques for more mindful living

Target Audience

Physical Therapists
Physical Therapy Assistants
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Speech-Language Pathologists
Athletic Trainers
Massage Therapists
Chiropractors

Copyright : 09/07/2021

Neurological Considerations in Fall Risk

Falls are NOT inevitable, even in individuals with neurologic diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis - rehab professionals may have a direct impact on this reality. Early intervention is key to improved outcomes. We will investigate new models and the neurobiology of pathological fatigue as it relates to Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Furthermore, the science behind neuroplasticity, proprioception, muscle tone and balance will be analyzed to reduce fall risk in this population.

Discover somatosensory components of movement and the impact on fall risk
Understand neurological disease and its progression regarding balance, fatigue and proprioception
Integrate neuroplasticity principles in screening, assessment, and interventions

Leave this course with comprehensive screening and assessment tools, greater knowledge of effective interventions, and awareness of how to utilize neuroplasticity principles with neurological diagnoses.

Program Information

Objectives

Employ comprehensive assessments to identify issues with balance, visual-spatial functioning, proprioception and fatigue.
Assess available interventions to guide appropriate utilization for safely restoring balance, mobility, and function in patients with varied origins of fall risk.
Integrate multiple approaches and exercise programs for superior outcomes in individuals with neurological disease and increased fall risk.
Appraise the role of neuroplasticity and BDNF in fall risk in individuals with neurological diseases.

Outline

Comprehensive assessments strategies

Identify issues with balance, visual-spatial functioning, proprioception and fatigue
Review the CDC – STEADI INITIATIVE for fall prevention

Interventions

Appropriate utilization for safety and results
Methods to restore balance, mobility, and function
Advanced interventions for fall prevention
Neuro-motor function from the sensory and motor systems

Program Design

Integrate multiple approaches and exercise programs for superior outcomes in individuals with neurological disease
Review the literature regarding interventions

Neuroplasticity

Role of neuroplasticity and BDNF in fall risk
Introduce most recent literature about neuroplasticity and BDNF
Application for decreased fall risk

Target Audience

Physical Therapists
Physical Therapy Assistants
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Athletic Trainers
Chiropractors