Beyond the Basics for Treating Arthritis (Gillett-Online)

Course overview

Nearly 60 million adults in the Unites States live with a form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and this is projected to increase to 78 million by 2040. While occupational and physical therapists can play a significant role in improving the quality of life of people with arthritis and rheumatic diseases, they need to look beyond typical conservative treatment and dive deeper into their clients' daily struggles such as sleep and fatigue or mental health comorbidities. Improving a patient's occupational performance takes much more than biophysical measures. The often-overlooked issue of fatigue for people with inflammatory arthritis and the inability to sleep due to pain, stress, depression, and anxiety must be addressed before making sustainable change and adherence to physical activity routines. This course will provide the latest evidence-based research related to sleep, fatigue, the mental health effects of arthritis and rheumatic diseases, and best practices to incorporate into treatment. Clinicians will improve their understanding of these issues beyond joint pain and gain practical tools and resources for addressing patient needs.