Where to Begin with the Lower Functioning Individual: Using a NDT Approach

This one-day virtual workshop will introduce health care professionals to the current theoretical foundations of NDT and its application in clinical practice to promote recovery in adults with neurological impairments. We will focus on how to engage the individual in a task and use handling strategies to assist the client/patient who is lower functioning. This will include progressions strategies in sitting, standing, early gait as well as therapeutic transfers. We will explore how to use a second person when working with the lower functioning individual (assist x 2). The workshop will provide participants with additional skills to enhance consistency in patient care and contribute to the overall team rehabilitation efforts of achieving functional outcomes for patients.

The workshop will contain didactic information, problem solving sessions, detailed lab information with handouts, and videos to watch. The session will have live, virtual interaction with the instructor throughout the workshop. There is also an optional lab component for those individuals who would like time to practice the labs and receive live virtual feedback from the instructor. Individuals who register for this component will need to have a colleague, family member or friend who are available for the lab practice.

Facilitator: Karen Guha

Workshop Objectives:

Upon completion of the workshop the participants will:

• Understand current literature and apply this within the NDT Clinical Practice Model to treat the individual with neurological impairments.

• Identify major impairments interfering with function in the adult with stroke, brain injury and other neuromotor disorders.

• Explore treatment strategies (assist of one and two) to address impairments within functional activities including therapeutic transfers, activities in sitting, standing and gait.

Requirements:

Participants must be a registered Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Therapy Assistant or Registered Kinesiologist who work with individuals who have suffered from stroke, brain injury or other neuromotor disorders. You will need to have access to Zoom.