What’s on in April 2021? Occupational therapy, brain injury and neurorehabilitation events.
We’ve rounded up some of the main events on offer this month for anyone interested in occupational therapy, brain injury and neurorehabilitation – as a service provider or user!
Inspire
April is Occupational Therapy Month in America. As such, OTs there are kicking it off with a rallying call to their colleagues globally to ‘recharge your energy, sharpen your mind, and face the future with confidence!’
The American Association of Occupational Therapists (AOTA) launches its month-long Inspire 2021 campaign on April 1, and, like all events during the pandemic, it’s gone online.
Participants can access over 535 interactive and recorded sessions and events, including 180 short educational courses, throughout the month, or tap into it on demand until the end of June.
Further details here: aota.org conference events - inspire
Roadshow
Members of The Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Scottish Western region will be hosting ‘new conversations about health inequalities’ during their regional roadshow webinar on 1 April 2021 from 6.30 pm to 7.45 pm.
And they will be asking, “What is the occupational therapy response?" to kick-off discussion on the RCOT's rehabilitation campaign and how OTs can best address health inequalities worsened by the covid pandemic.
Further information here: RCOT - Annual Review
Pain
Australasia’s Neuro Orthopaedic Institute (NOI) will be helping to ‘Explain Pain’ during webinars on 31 March and 1 April 2021.
More specifically, NOI instructor Ben Davies will be:
- Teaching biologically and evidence-based pain management skills.
- Reappraising pain in modern-day contexts.
- Prompting a rethink in rehabilitation.
Further details here: NOI Group - Events
Brain injury and relationships
Canada’s Brain Injury Association of York Region explores relationship challenges after brain injury, loss and trauma in a webinar to increase awareness of the self and others.
‘Beyond the Self: Learning to Navigate the Complexities of Relationships’ will guide participants in identifying the key stressors in relationships while providing strategies for enhancing relationship quality.
Clinical traumatologist, Lynne Harford, who has worked in neurorehabilitation for over 17 years, will present the webinar on April 7 2021, from 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm.
Further details here: BIAYR.ORG -Beyond the self 2021
Neuroinflammation
ECN2021 - the Virtual 2nd European Conference on Neuroinflammation – Basic and Clinical Concepts - convenes via webinar from 12 to 13 April 2021.
Organised with The Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, the conference focuses this year on multiple sclerosis as a paradigmatic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease.
But there will also be discussions surrounding neuromyelitis optica and Alzheimer’s disease and new emerging treatments for all three conditions.
The conference is being chaired by Joan M Goverman, Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology at America’s University of Washington. Professor Lars Fugger and senior post-doctoral scientist Kate Attfield of Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences.
Further details from the event website here: ECN 2021
Frontal Lobe Paradox
The frontal lobe paradox comes under the spotlight at a brain injury webinar on 13 April 2021 from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm.
Dr Tracey Ryan-Morgan, Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist at Talis Consulting, will be discussing the paradox – coined in 1985 - in which brain injury survivors appear unimpaired yet have significant functional difficulties in activities of daily living.
Further details here: Brain injury group - events - webinar frontal lobe paradox
Fatigue
Occupational therapy skills and strategies for assessing and combatting fatigue are being shared in an online masterclass on 16 April 2021.
The course, organised by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), aims to increase OTs’ knowledge and meets the RCOT Career Development Framework for level 6 and above.
It is being presented by the Therapy Director at the Yorkshire Fatigue Clinic, Dr Sue Pemberton, who has over 20 years of clinical experience in fatigue management.
More information here: https://www.rcot.co.uk/events/masterclass-assessing-and-treating-fatigue-skills-and-strategies-occupational-therapy-4
Sleep
Professionals working with people with life-changing injuries could learn more about sleep in a webinar on April 20, 2021, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The ‘Learn Sleep Online’ course provides an introduction to evidence-based psychological andbehavioural treatments and interventions for sleep problems linked to brain injuries, chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression or PTSD.
Further information from the organisers, Sleep Unlimited here: https://sleepunlimited.co.uk/next-courses/
In this months featured talking heads article, we looked at omega-3 fatty acids and their neuroprotective abilities following brain injury; you can enjoy the article and explore talking heads here.
Assistive technology
Find out about assistive technology for people with complex needs and its application to activity challenges and eating and drinking on an RCOT approved learning course.
Discover how viscous damping, modular approaches and robotic and power assistance enable independence via these technologies.
The course, provided by Neater Solutions, runs on 21 April at 11:00 am and 2.00 pm. For further details and to obtain a link, email:
Nutrition
Are food and nutrition the missing link in improving brain injury rehabilitation outcomes?
That question and many others will be addressed at a presentation on diet after brain injury and other catastrophic injuries by specialist rehab dietician Sheri Taylor on 22 April 2021 from 10.00 am to 11.15 am.
Sheri, director of Specialist Nutrition Rehab, has over 25 years of experience providing bespoke dietetic services.
She will be presenting the latest evidence on the impact of nutrition on recovery from catastrophic injuries and guidance on when to refer to clients.
Further details of the webinar here: https://www.abisolutions.org.uk/index.php?page=9
Political
The Acquired Brain Injury Forum for London (ABIL) welcomes Rhondda MP Chris Bryant, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury, to a virtual session on how brain injury survivors are affected by the political environment.
Tony Hart, ABIL’s Chair, will join Mr Bryant and Chloe Hayward, Executive Director of UKABIF, at the event, which is open to all on 28 April 2021 at 11.00 am.
More information here: https://events.irwinmitchell.com/abilwebinarbraininjuryandthepo
Related articles
Brain injury - Pain management
Nutrition and diet after brain injury
MP Chris Bryant calls to ease the pain of families affected by brain injury during the covid-19 pandemic