Agenda: 9:00am - 1:30pm
Agenda subject to change.
Session 1: "An introduction to intimacy and sexual wellbeing as part of SCI recovery, rehabilitation and after discharge"
with Stephen Brookes
Intimacy and sexual well-being play a vital role in overall quality of life and in recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI), as a healthcare professional, do you feel sufficiently prepared to be able to address this subject in practice with your patients?
This session will be led by a qualified psychosexual therapist who also has lived experience of SCI, offering a unique and informed perspective. Aimed at professionals working across healthcare, rehabilitation, and community settings, it will provide an introduction in exploring how to approach these conversations with greater confidence, care, and sensitivity, helping to ensure that this often overlooked area of support is more effectively integrated into patient care.
Session 2: "Nutrition and Spinal Cord Injury: From acute care to rehabilitation and implications for practice"
with Carolyn Taylor
This session will consider the changing nutritional needs following a spinal cord injury.
In particular it will discuss the increased risk of obesity related complications and give suggestions on how this can be better controlled. We will also look at how dietary intake could help management of the neurogenic bowel.
Session 3: "Ageing and spinal cord injury: what changes, what challenges, what can we do?"
Ageing is a journey of change, but what happens when those changes meet spinal cord injury?
This session will look at the processes and effects of ageing before considering their impact on people living with an established SCI and those who sustain an SCI later in life. It will challenge our usual understanding of SCI and consider how the interaction between ageing and SCI can influence the person’s presentation, function, rehabilitation and wellbeing, and what this means for therapy practice.
At registration, please select whether to attend a session which focuses on this topic for either:
- Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and other healthcare professionals involved in therapy assessment and management - with Susie Turnbull
- Registered Nurses and other healthcare professionals involved in clinical care - with Dr. Sankaranarayanan Hariharan
Lived Experience Discussion
with Gary Dawson and Kerryn Pratt
Clinical knowledge is most powerful when understood alongside lived experience. In this session, Gary from Spinal Injuries Association will be in conversation with Kerryn, sharing his personal experience of living with a spinal cord injury and reflecting on several key themes from the conference programme.
This session offers a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand how these topics can impact everyday life, providing insight that complements the clinical perspectives shared during the day.
Panel Discussion and Q&A
moderated by Kerryn Pratt
This session will be an opportunity for our excellent speakers to engage in a lively conversation whereby they can share their insights and explore the day’s topics.
With a wealth of knowledge and diverse perspectives, this session aims to be a highlight of the event. Throughout the day we encourage you to submit your questions for the panel.
What are your thoughts on the topics we have covered?
What are the clinical challenges of SCI you encounter?
Our panel will dissect and discuss the questions, offering fresh perspectives and open conversation.