The Use of Opioids and Cannabis in Older Adults to Manage Pain
The Use of Opioids and Cannabis in Older Adults to Manage Pain
This course includes
The instructors
Course Overview
This course provides an evidence-based review of the use of opioids and cannabis for pain management in older adults. A key resource discussed is the national report “Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Addressing the Invisible and Older Faces of Canada’s Opioid Crisis,” which highlights critical issues surrounding opioid use in older populations.
Recent evidence related to cannabis use in seniors is also examined, including safety concerns such as driving. Clinicians will gain an understanding of how these findings impact physiotherapy assessment, treatment planning, and overall patient care.
This course is ideal for physiotherapists and healthcare professionals who want to strengthen their clinical reasoning around pain management strategies for older adults.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
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Describe findings from the national report “Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Addressing the Invisible and Older Faces of Canada’s Opioid Crisis.”
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Identify safety concerns and considerations associated with the use of opioids and cannabis among older adults.
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Apply evidence-based implications to physiotherapy assessment and pain management treatment strategies for seniors.
Audience
This course is designed for healthcare professionals who assess, treat, and support older adults managing pain. It is especially valuable for:
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Physiotherapists and Physical Therapists working with seniors or individuals living with persistent pain
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Occupational Therapists involved in functional rehabilitation and mobility
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Chiropractors and Manual Therapists integrating evidence-based pain approaches
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Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care Providers supporting residents using opioid or cannabis therapies
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Primary Care and Community Health Clinicians looking to better understand medication-related risks and considerations in older adults
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Students and New Graduates seeking current evidence and practical clinical insights
Clinicians treating older adults with chronic pain will gain actionable knowledge to improve assessment, treatment planning, and interprofessional communication regarding opioid and cannabis use.
Presenter Biography
Pasqualina Santaguida, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact (HEI) at McMaster University. She currently works as a health research methodologist with the Program for Evidence-Based Care (PEBC) in the Department of Oncology.
Dr. Santaguida has an extensive background in evidence synthesis and knowledge translation, with experience supporting the Seniors Health Division. Her work focuses on helping clinicians interpret research in order to apply the most meaningful evidence to practice.
The instructors
The Pain Science Division is a special interest group of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association that serves physiotherapists who have an interest in better understanding and managing pain and in connecting with likeminded clinicians, educators and researchers. The mission of the Pain Science Division is to: Foster connections and collaborations between clinicians, educators and researchers interested in pain and physiotherapy, facilitate the bidirectional translation of knowledge between pain research and clinical practice and integrate the professional interests of Canadian physiotherapists within national and international pain networks.
The PSD wants to help advance the level of pain education across the country. Pain is a multi-faceted and complex experience that warrants careful consideration and reflection by both entry-level students and experienced clinicians. Our goal is to address this issue from a multi-pronged perspective. In addition to providing clinicians with opportunities for professional development we also want to be in close communication with university-level educators and clinical specialization regulators.
The Seniors’ Health Division (SHD) is a special interest group within the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. SHD is committed to providing members with services related to older adult health and physiotherapy practice.
It is comprised of physiotherapists from across Canada who work with older adults in a variety of practice settings, including acute geriatric care, geriatric rehabilitative and restorative units, long term care settings, community based and home care settings.
SHD is a member of The International Association of Physical Therapists working with Older Persons.
Vision of the Seniors' Health Division: Older Canadians are moving, moving more and moving better with the help of physiotherapists.
Mission of the Seniors' Health Division: To support our members in providing excellent physiotherapy care to optimize the independence and quality of life of older adults.
Material included in this course
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Course Materials
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Welcome and Slides
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Full presentation
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Feedback
Is a certificate of completion included with this course?
Once you have completed the course, a certificate of completion (including learning hours and course information) will be generated. You can download this certificate at any time. To learn more about course certificates on Embodia please visit this guide.
This can be used for continuing education credits, depending on your professional college or association. If this course has been approved for CEUs in specific jurisdictions, it will be noted on the course page and CEU information may be added to your course certificate. Please read this guide for more information.
I'm a member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA). What are the discounts available to CPA Members on Embodia?
As part of our partnership with the CPA, we offer its members discounts on courses and Embodia Memberships. Learn more about the partnership on this page.
In order for the discount to be applied, you first need to authenticate your CPA membership. This is an important step as this is how Embodia 'knows' that you are a CPA member.
To authenticate as a CPA member, you need to sign in the CPA portal on this page, sign in to your CPA account, and then click the button on the page.
Please note that your email address on your CPA account must match your email address on Embodia. If needed, you can update your information on Embodia as outlined in this guide.
