Clinical Education

These seminars can be scheduled through your Motion Specialties sales representative who will assist you with contacting the appropriate education provider for your needs.

Our presentations are designed to offer your organization solutions to achieve best practices, therefore offering more to those you care for.

Motion Specialties can help you with your commitment to staff education by offering free educational seminars.

These seminars can be scheduled through your motion Specialties sales representative who will assist you with contacting the appropriate education provider for your needs.

Our presentations are designed to offer your organization solutions to achieve best practices, therefore offering more to those you care for.

Our programs can be adapted or changed to maximize the benefits to you. We welcome your input.
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - mailing address: 1925 Leslie Street, Toronto Ontario, M3B 2M3

Workplace Injury Prevention Seminars

Back Care for Health Care Workers

Session Time 30 minutes

An abbreviated version of the session above. This is a suitable seminar to fulfill your annual back care education requirements. This session covers anatomy of the spine, principles of safe handling, and tips for back health. There is also a review of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and risk assessments.

Making Lifts and Transfers Uplifting Experiences

Session Time 60 minutes

This is an appropriate session for members of the Injury Prevention Team or the lifting “champions” in your organization. Your staff will gain an understanding of the Occupa- tional Health and Safety Act with reference to the responsibilities of the employer and the employee within the Act. We will discuss Minimal Lift Policies, as well as principles of safe handling. Staff will leave with an understanding of the anatomy of the spine, mus- culoskeletal injuries and their ability to reduce their risk of injury. Review of risk assess- ments and tips on back health will also be addressed in this session.

Specific equipment/device review will be undertaken by a Motion Specialties representative. The time frame of the session will be arranged according to your needs.

Back Care and Safe Transfers for Health Care Workers

Session Time 60-90 minutes

This is an appropriate session for members of the Injury Prevention Team or the lifting “champions” in your organization. Your staff will gain an understanding of t he Occupa- tional Health and Safety Act with reference to the responsibilities of the employer and the employee within the Act. We will discuss Minimal Lift Policies, as well as principles of safe handling. Staff will leave with an understanding of the anatomy of the spine, mus- culoskeletal injuries and their ability to reduce their risk of injury. Review of risk assess- ments and tips on back health will also be addressed in this session.

Specific equipment/device review will be undertaken by a Motion Specialties representative. The time frame of the session will be arranged according to your needs.

The Role of Staff in Wound Managment and Infection Control Seminars

Infection Control

Session Time 30 minutes

To define infection control and discuss universal precautions is the purpose of this session. We will review common infections and address some of the current super bugs” that we currently deal with. Participants will leave with a greater understanding of how they play an integral role in infection control within their organization.

The Role of PSW/HCA in Wound Prevention and Management

Session Time 30 minutes

This session identifies and reinforces the ability of the PSW and HCA to prevent and manage wounds. Their unique role of viewing and assessing their clients’ skin on a daily basis, and the importance of this role will be discussed. In this session the characteristics of the skin, as well as the stages of wounds, will be reviewed. Causes and prevention of pressure ulcers, as well as relieving interventions, will be addressed. We will review the purpose of therapeutic surfaces. The participants will leave this session with a greater understanding of their role in preventing and managing their clients’ wounds.

Wound Management - Treatment Goals for Registered Staf

Session Time 60 minutes

With the ongoing challenges of preventing and treating pressure ulcers and wounds, this session will provide education on characteristics of the skin, as well as review for staging wounds. Characteristics of the wound bed and treatment goals with reference to different kinds of products will be discussed.

Requirements to review specific wound care products or therapeutic surfaces may be incorporated.

Who Cares for the Caregiver

Session Time 30 minutes

This popular education session addreses the Caregiver Bill of Rights and tips on how to have balance in your life. Dealing with grief and loss of clients is discussed, as well as the indicators of stress and how to deal with it. This session is designed to acknowledge the issues that we deal with as caregivers, and encourages the cooperation of co-workers to understand and be supportive of one another.

Effective Communication

Session Time 30 minutes

This session will assist to enable better working relationships with our co-workers, clients and customers.

Elder Abuse

Session Time 30 minutes

There are a many types of elder abuse. This session reviews the types of abuse and provides recent statistics.

Understanding Cognitive Impairment and Dealing with Challenging Behaviour

Session Time 30 minutes

This session defines cognitive impairment and reviews the different types of dementia. Participants will have an increased knowledge base for identifying and communicating noticeable changes in cognitive impairment. Tips for dealing with challenging behaviours, and how to identify triggers, are discussed.

CPR Recertification

Session Time 3 hours

Motion Specialties can provide you with your CPR recertification in order to fulfill your employee needs for compliance and expert delivery of care.

Understanding Bed Safety and Equipment

Understanding Therapeutic Surfaces

Session Time 30 minutes

Upon completion of this session, the participants will be able to define different types of therapeutic surfaces and understand their importance in a comprehensive treatment plan. They will enhance their ability to choose an appropriate surface based on contributing factors. How to do a pressure check to ensure effective therapy, will also be addressed.

Bed Safety and Entrapment

Session Time 30 minutes

An overview of the 7 Zones of Entrapment and provision of a reference poster are the focus of this session. We discuss bed safety and the risks of bed rails, as well as the alternatives to using bedrails.

Beds and Sleep Surfaces

Session Time 90 minutes

Just as mobility systems can be broken down into functional components, so can a bed, its sleep surface and positioning components. With the range of products on the market increasing, how do you decide what is the best fit for the user? This session uses goal setting as a method to review products and their appropriateness for an individual.

24-Hour Postural Care

Session Time 40-60 minutes

This session is an overview of postural care with emphasis on sleep and night positioning. This session can be either part of a 3-hour training session done with care staff to provide a better understanding of the interrelatedness of seating for function, sleep and night positioning, or as a condensed, stand-alone session. A component of this session covers the SymmetriSleep system and other commercial products, but has an emphasis on principles.

Power Wheelchairs

Session Time 60 minutes

Powered mobility can be broken down into four major components: postural needs, frame style, input and electronics. Specific client parameters in each area determine, not only what type of power chair best meets the client’s functional mobility needs, but also what features and set-up are ideal. This session provides an overview of powered mobility options, considerations for prescription and performance adjustments.

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning- Assessment and Seating for the Non-Therapist

Session Time 90 minutes

This basic level workshop is aimed at the non-therapist and is designed to provide education on the human elements that go into a wheelchair and seating prescription, including the initial assessment, and how equipment can be used to correct or accommodate postures.

The Prescription: Pulling the Pieces Together

Session Time 60-90 minutes

An equipment prescription is more than an application or piece of paper. This session reviews the process of prescribing equipment for clients including utilizing assessment findings, evalu- ating equipment options, and matching the two components for the best functional outcome.

Pressure-Reducing Cushions

Session Time 60 minutes

This session is an overview of the principles behind a wheelchair seating system and the anatomy of its composition. It will cover the factors that determine positioning versus pressure reduction and how these relate to the user’s function. Discussion will include how to best match products to resident needs.

Manual Wheelchairs 101

Session Time 60 minutes

Manual wheelchairs can be categorized by type based on features and expected usage. However, how they are set up will determine how well they will work for the client. This session reviews the major components of a chair, how they operate and how to make sure they are set up correctly for the user.

A Bathroom by Any Other Name Still Needs to be a Functional Space

Session Time 90 minutes

Function in the bathroom is a culmination of seating, mobility, skin care, transfers and home access. This session looks at a range of products on the market and provides a framework on how to approach the issue of toileting and bathing to best meet client and caregiver needs.

Custom Seating – The 6 W’s

Session Time 90 minutes

Custom Seating – Who, What, Where, When, Why and Why Not

Seating prescriptions, whether modular or custom, are limited only by the vision of the team involved. This session is an overview of the different kinds of custom seating on the market, the pros and cons of each, client and fabrication factors to consider and case studies to illustrate.

What Does That Really Mean? Diagnoses and the Assistive Technology Prescription

This session looks at major diagnostic groups, their presentation, impact on the client and the factors to be considered when prescribing equipment. Specify a set of diagno- ses to personalize a session to your setting.

Kids More Than Just Measurements

Session Time 60-90 minutes

This session is aimed at paediatric therapists who wish to learn more about addressing the functional equipment needs for their clients, areas of intervention and issues to consider. As well, considerations for evaluating the equipment options that are available are discussed.

Home Assessment 101

Session Time 90 minutes

This session looks at the elements of the home that are key to maintaining a person in their residence. Included is a framework for determining the components of a useful home assess- ment and goal setting to enable client decision making.

Seating for the Classroom

Session Time 60 minutes

On the floor, at table level or out for recess; whether actively learning or resting, seating is a key component of effective learning. This workshop covers equipment options that are available to enable student seating. Running through the session will be key indicators to facilitate deci- sion making on product choices.

Walkers and Standers

Session Time 60-90 minutes

From passive standers to anterior rollators, this session covers the equipment options to support standing and ambulation, how to classify equipment based on functional requirements, and will review the information required to best match equipment to client needs.

ADP 101 – An Introduction and Overview

Session Time 60 minutes

The Ontario Ministry of Health operates the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) to assist people with long-term physical disabilities to get funding for equipment and supplies. This education session is an overview of the program, the categories of equipment that are covered, and the process to access the program for wheelchairs and mobility aids.

Safe Transportation of Children in Canada

Session Time 60-90 minutes

Whether you work with infants, children, or adult-sized teens, regardless of ability level, this workshop will give you a better understanding of the products that are available for transportation in Canada, critical factors in determining product appropriateness for a child, and tips for safe practice.

Lifestyle Seminars by Rich VanderWal

About Rich VanderWal

Rich Rich VanderWal, B.R.L.S., T.R.

Rich graduated from Brock University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Recreationist and Leisure Studies. He then went on to Georgian College where he received his post-graduate diploma in Therapeu- tic Recreation. Prior to joining Motion Specialties, he spent five years as a Therapeutic Recreatioist at Toronto Rehab.

In his position as a Rehab Consultant with Motion Specialties, Rich promotes an active lifestyle and encourages others to keep moving. He is an ac- complished athlete, representing Ontario and Canada in rowing, alpine ski racing and tennis.

Rich is on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Wheelchair Sport Association, as well as being an athlete representative. He is an ambassador for The Rick Hansen Foundation and Paralympics Ontario, and provides peer support as a voluteer for the Canadian Paralympics Association. Rich is an accomplished and motivating public speaker.

Benefits of Participation in Adapted Sports

Session Time 30-60 minutes

A great introduction for individuals to examine their lives and identify possible future involve- ment. Participants will consider activity choices, physical benefits, abilities and successes when beginning to look at options.

Adapted Sport and Recreation: Pressure vs. Performance

Session Time 60 minutes

This session looks at raising the level of quality of life, recreation as a quality of life tool, prescribing adapted sports equipment, participatory goals, pressure concerns, postural needs, custom modification, design advancements and the benefits of being involved in recreational activities.

Measuring Up: Finding Meaning in Therapeutic Recreation

Session Time 3 hours

This session will identify psycho-social issues faced with an SCI and how involvement in recreation can be a tool in adapting and coping. It will consider rehab experience, recent changes, common barriers, outdoor recreation, benefits to participation and adjusting to meet individual needs.

Home Renovations

Session Time 60 minutes

This is an overview of the assessment and prioritizing of needs, budgeting for the project, consider- ations for permits, creating the look you want for your needs and celebrating your successes.

Spinal Cord Injury and Sexuality: Part 1 - Physical

Session Time 60-75 minutes

This session is geared to assist in understanding the physical changes to the body and one’s sexual abilities when living with an SCI. It will identify the differences between sex and sexuality, physical changes, erectile difficulties for men, changes in positioning, atrophy and pressure concerns, getting close with thermo regulation, spasticity who needs quarters?

Spinal Cord Injury and Sexuality: Part 2 - Psycho-Social

Session Time 60 minutes

This session is geared to assist in understanding the psycho-social changes one experiences with one’s sexual abilities when living with an SCI. It will look at the differences between sex and sexuality and coping with anger and depression, I’m not in the mood”, communication for both partners, changes in body image, calling ahead, being proactive, understanding your new body and accepting uniqueness.

Choosing the Appropriate Wheelchair (Type 4)

Session Time 45-60 minutes

Selecting the appropriate wheelchair can be overwhelming. This session will encourage participants to consider the goals and lifestyle for the next few years. The appropriate chair can be selected by networking and researching, through therapists, vendors, peers and the internet.

Manual Wheelchairs Skills

Session Time 30-60 minutes

This session will focus on basic wheelchair skills. From turns, braking and propelling, to living on the edge: outdoors, stairs, tricks and tread. Setting appropriate goals for individuals will be discussed.

Wheelchair Maintenance and You

Session Time 30-60 minutes

Participants will learn the various components of a wheelchair with the objective of preventing breakdown. They will also learn how preventive maintenance and regular sor- vieing will reduce down time and maintenance costs.

Risk Managment

Least Restraint Use and Alternatives

Session Time 30 minutes

Participants learn how to minimize falls and injuries while maximizing the clients right to live at risk. Various restraint options are discussed to guide where their use is appropriate.

Falls Prevention

Session Time 30 minutes

This session describes the various reasons why client’s fall and outlines techniques and processes to prevent falls. Participants are provided with a generic overview of products and equipment that help keep clients safe.

Seating for Safety and Function

Session Time 45-60 minutes

Correct positioning is essential in the treatment and prevention of pressure ulcers and falls. This session is a step-by-step guide to achieve safe positioning with seating and wheelchairs. While aimed at caregivers, it is a valuable tool for anyone working with people who use wheelchairs.

10 Tips for Getting (and keeping) Residents in Wheelchairs

Session Time 30 minutes

Appropriate for front-line staff who transfer and position residents. This interactive session will reinforce to front-line caregivers how transferring clients in a wheelchair appropriately will often eliminate the need for repositioning later. This session offers evidence based on how staff can minimize injury and maximize comfort and safety to residents.