Regional One Health will host a Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association (NDTA) seminar to help practitioners improve care for patients who suffer from hemiplegia. Managing Adults with Hemiplegia: An NDT Approach, an introductory/intermediate level class, will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 at Regional One Health’s downtown campus.

Lisa Mantaro, Regional One Health’s manager of post-acute therapy, said the seminar is aimed at physical, occupational and speech pathology therapists.

“This seminar will promote improved clinical care and enhance the quality of care participants provide to clients,” she said. “The skills they learn can be applied to patients at any level of care, from acute care to outpatient. It’s beneficial to anyone working with patients with hemiplegia.”

Adults with hemiplegia experience a loss of sensation and control in the affected area. Some of the most common causes are stroke, traumatic brain injury, cardiovascular problems, infections like encephalitis and meningitis, multiple sclerosis, brain cancers and lesions in the brain.

Treatment depends on the cause of the hemiplegia, and Mantaro said the NDT seminar will give participants tools to successfully implement the proper approach.

According to the NDTA, “This seminar will explore the assessment and treatment of the adults with hemiplegia using a problem solving approach and the tenets of NDT/Bobath. This class is designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities and a chance to improve clinical reasoning skills in the treatment of adult hemiplegia, as well as those with other neurologic conditions.”

The class will be taught by Katy Kerris, OT, C/NDT, CHT.

Kerris is a certified NDTA instructor and has worked with neurologically impaired patients since 1989, helping them solve movement problems in order to return to function. “I use an NDT framework of problem solving and handling skills, augmented with manual therapy skills and an understanding of upper and lower limb biomechanics,” she stated. “I use a very interactive teaching style with class participants and heavily incorporate hands-on learning.”

Registration and a full course description are available at NDTA.org/seminars. For assistance or more information, contact [email protected] or call 800-869-9295. Participants will receive 15 hours of continuing education hours upon successful completion of the seminar.

Mantaro said the program is open to eligible providers from all healthcare systems, as Regional One Health’s goal as host is to improve the level of care for everyone. “It’s not only about providing quality care here at Regional One Health, but for our entire community,” she said.