More than 52 physical and occupational therapists from as far away as Canada traveled to La Porte Hospital’s Lifeworks facility in Michigan City this past weekend for a three-day vestibular rehabilitation certification workshop given by the world renowned Richard Gans, Ph.d, of the American Institute of Balance (AIB). Of the attendees, 15 are therapists from Indiana University Health and La Porte Hospital, who, after completing a post-program test, became certified in vestibular rehabilitation. A chiropractor, physician and audiologist also attended.
“This is providing our community with experts in the field of balance treatment, and gives our physicians – particularly our Ear, Nose and Throat doctors – an excellent resource for patients with balance issues who need access to healing therapy treatments,” said Frank Aerts, Executive Director of Orthopedic Services and Wellness/Rehab for La Porte Hospital. “This is part of a complete continuing education package that we offer to therapists in our program.”
Gans, who educates world-wide on topics of balance and equilibrium (recently he’s been to Columbia, Mexico, Argentina, London, and Hong Kong, among other countries), said he aims to educate therapists on protocols to manage identifiable balance system disorders so they can produce excellent outcomes with their patients. His programs, he said, are evidence-based and are used by the country’s leading hospitals and rehabilitation facilities.
“Today was primarily the lecture component, and tomorrow we will begin to have interactive sessions where the therapists are up and moving, working through the program as if they were in clinical practice,” Gans said Friday afternoon.
The three-day workshop includes sessions on cortical and labyrinthine concussion, among other vestibular and balance system disorders.
The AIB provides a centralized resource for clinical training, continuing education and practical management of patients with dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance. The AIB Education Foundation has trained thousands of physical, occupational therapists and physicians worldwide.
La Porte Hospital is hiring full-time physical therapists for its La Porte and Michigan City rehabilitation locations. For more information about the comprehensive continuing education packages and other benefits, or to apply, iuhealth.org/careers/jobs/locations/la-porte/