Dr Bhanu Ramaswamy OBE is an Independent Physiotherapy Consultant and Honorary Visiting Fellow Sheffield Hallam University
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Introduction
The benefits of physical activity and exercise for individuals with Parkinson’s has been well established. Parkinson’s is associated with a decline in function, mobility and quality of life (QoL) leading to a loss of independence. Physical activity and exercise have been shown to impact the rate of symptom progression, improve physical performance (gait, muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance) and enhance QoL. The COVID-19 pandemic compromised many health care services and together with the imposed lockdown restrictions has had a great impact on the mental health, physical activity and QoL of individuals with Parkinson’s. This course incorporates three different case studies to illustrate how Dr Bhanu Ramaswamy has changed her physiotherapy assessment and intervention during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The individuals in the first two case scenarios, are similar in age yet demonstrate widely different abilities and needs, partly due to the impact of co-morbidities on their Parkinson’s but also due to the effect of deconditioning over a six-month period when older, vulnerable people were instructed to restrict themselves and remain indoors in order to be safe from catching the virus. The third case scenario indicates how physiotherapy appointments have been altered from in-person sessions to using digital platforms in order to keep patients motivated to remain active.
Aims
The purpose of this course is to illustrate the impact of pandemic-related deconditioning on individuals with Parkinson’s and to give ideas as to how the physiotherapy assessment and treatment could be adapted to serve these individuals.
Outline
This course is made up of videos, reading, forum posts and a final quiz. The course content is split into the following sections:
- Case Presentation 1
- Case Presentation 2
- Case Presentation 3
- Quiz
Target audience
This course is aimed at Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy clinicians, students and assistants. Other interested professionals such as athletic trainers, occupational therapists, nurses or medical doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.