Course Description:

Stroke is the leading cause of disability in America. Therapists play a vital role in reducing or even eliminating disability resulting from stroke. However, therapists are increasingly pressured to produce better outcomes in a shorter period of time, often with less staff support. The results are generic treatment plans, traditional supine therapeutic exercise prescription and range of motion or seated group activities. These types of activities do not drive neuroplasticity and recovery toward goal attainment. Improving outcomes starts with a solid assessment which drives relevant intervention development toward true functional improvement.

In this two-day seminar, you will learn how to reframe your process for assessment. Then you will expand your intervention “toolbox” by learning to create effective treatments that directly reduce functional limitations for any level of stroke patient, from acute care to community re-entry. This will be accomplished without expensive equipment, time-consuming protocols or labor-intensive techniques. Normal movement requirements will be reviewed, which will better equip you to efficiently and accurately identify the impairments that are causing dysfunction. Treatment interventions will be developed based on motor control and learning principles aimed at integrating cognition, motor ability and the environment for maximal carryover to functional task performance. An extensive review of treatments to reduce commonly seen impairments will be accomplished through lab work, demonstration and video analysis and will be provided in written form for take-home use. Those with the largest “toolbox” of treatment interventions are best equipped to meet the needs of the patient and can do so independent of time restraints, staffing demands and equipment limitations. Expand your treatment toolbox in this fun, stimulating two-day course.