Nutritional Considerations for the Rehabilitation Professional - SOD

Course overview

Rehabilitation care is evolving. While the mid 20th century saw medicine's focus shift from acute infectious disease control toward chronic disease management, the role of rehabilitation professionals in the 21st century must also answer this call for chronic care intervention. Poor nutrition and obesity are the two main drivers contributing to the epidemic proportions of chronic disease that is now overwhelming the biomedical model and health care system today. These directly affect pathophysiological conditions managed by healthcare professionals. Further, education in nutritional considerations broadens career opportunities and effectiveness as a practitioner in the wellness and health promotion domains. It also allows healthcare pros to interact more effectively with the rest of the patient care team and take their place on the frontlines of medicine. This course prepares clinicians to affect neuromuscular, psychoemotional, and neuroendocrine outcomes via identification of nutritional risk factors and resource utilization within a biopsychosocial, multi-disciplinary framework, supported by the World Health Organization, Institute of Medicine, and World Confederation for Physical Therapy. It also prepares them to affect change as partners in the Health People 2020 vision for America, leading the fight against chronic disease. Additionally, understanding the gut-brain-body axis is vital for the prevention and rehabilitation intervention that therapists deliver and this course explains the history and current clinical status of this well-supported phenomenon. Addressing nutrition within a plan of care is an integral facet of rehabilitation now and for the future, and this course provides the building blocks to prepare the rehabilitation professional for cutting-edge practice.