Benefits of Therapeutic Dual Tasking

Course overview

There is a component of focused attention and cognitive impairment putting seniors at risk for falls, but the application of this research is inconsistent and without a structured approach. Practitioners often create therapeutic goals around the ability to master a single task, e.g. cognitive or physical. If we are not challenging the patient with activities and goals that mirror their typical environment, (environmental distractions or train of thought focus while walking to their next destination) then we are missing an opportunity to increase the complexity of the goal and intervene within a higher level of exercise for maximization of safety. This activity is designed to promote the implementation of skilled dual-tasking therapy in order to truly maximize patient potential through increased complexity of goals, challenge the brain through benefit of procedural memory activation, and to elicit ideas on structuring various dual-tasking treatments with objective tracking. Practitioners do not have the time to learn how to objectively capture dual-tasking performance in order to demonstrate therapeutic necessity and progress a plan of care. The research to promote therapeutic dual-tasking is available, but the simple application of dual-tasking requires additional processing and specific direction for appropriate application within the clinical setting. The aim of this course is the desired state of increased confidence in dual-tasking reporting and application.