A Therapist's Guide to Diabetes Management and Exercise Prescription

Course objectives:

1. To gain an insight about the challenges faced by the patients in understanding diabetes due to limited resources available and lack of psychosocial assistance. 
2. To empower the clinicians with discussing and addressing the need of the patient facing with challenges with their diagnosis
3. To understand the role of PT and OT, and how they can help the patients and their families both physically and psychosocially. To bring awareness to the medical fraternity about utilizing therapies for the diagnosis of Diabetes, not just for complications of. 
4. To use evidence-based strategies for treatments and customising to patient and family needs. 

Course outline:  

• 45 min: diabetes statistics and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• 60 min: role of OT in diabetes management : pediatric and adult population
• 60 min: role of PT in diabetes management and criteria for exercise prescription: effects of exercises, types of exercises and diagnoses specific exercises.
• 15 min: case studies, Q&A

 Course details: 

As therapists, we are often involved in symptomatic care of diabetes related complications. This happens mostly when a patient is diagnosed with diabetes for several years. I would like to present this course with a perspective of involving therapists in not only curative phase but also for prevention of diabetes. This course helps PT and OT identify diabetes in an individual long before they are formally diagnosed. We, as allied health professionals, should be involved in complete care of the patient from lifestyle modifications onwards to their long term physical and mental well being.  This course will highlight the role of OTs in cognitive aspects and role of PTs for customized  exercise prescriptions for individual patient needs. We are far from one size fits all regimen of diet and exercise as far as management of diabetes is concerned. It takes a village to manage a patient with diabetes. I am hoping we take this awareness and share it with our medical colleagues, and seek involvement not just in symptomatic therapy but also in prevention of disease processes. 

Duration : 

3 hours

Audience: 

Physiotherapist, physiotherapy, Occupational therapists, Occupation therapy assistants

The candidate will learn the latest evidence based research, *special section on Covid-19 effect on diabetes, how to work together as a PT/OT team as well as individual roles that are life changing for the patient.

Rina Pandya, PT, DPT, received her entry level physical therapy degree from the School of  Allied Health Sciences Manipal, India and her post professional doctoral degree from the University of Michigan- Flint. Having practiced physical therapy in four countries including India, Oman, the United Kingdom and the United States coupled with administrative experiences as a rehabilitation manager; Dr. Pandya shares an eclectic model of practice that maximizes autonomous care. As an avid believer of lifelong professional learning, Dr. Pandya has taken an extensive number of professional development courses and certifications that allow her to teach contemporary practice to clinicians. Dr. Pandya’s appreciation for evidence-based practice continues following completion of a formal research methods program offered through the Manchester School of Physiotherapy in the United Kingdom. Dr. Pandya’s passion for teaching and