Executives from One Call Care Management led sessions recently during SEAK Inc’s 36th Annual National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference.
Both sessions outlined best practices to proactively assess and address the needs of aging injured workers, according to a media release from One Call Care Management.
During the session titled, “Understanding the Changing Needs of the Aging Injured Worker,” Kevin Glennon, RN, VP of operations, home health, clinical and quality assurance programs, spoke about the body’s natural aging process and how it can impact workers’ compensation programs.
“If we have a 70-year-old and a 20-year-old who experience similar slip-and-fall accidents, these two workers will likely experience vastly different injuries,” Glennon states during his session, per the release.
“The 20-year-old might sustain a soft tissue injury such as a sprain or strain. However, the 70-year-old might suffer a hip fracture that would require more extensive treatment, such as surgery, and more time away from work. As such, dealing with an aged injured worker requires a specialized clinical approach to identify and address complications and ensure optimal medical outcomes,” he adds.
Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS II, VP and National Product Leader at Align Networks, a division of One Call Care Management, shared the presentation, “Aging Workforce: What Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Need to Know.”
“The aging process results in a loss of muscle and strength, which can lead to injuries and hamper recovery,” noted Despres in her presentation, the release states. “From a physical medicine perspective, there’s a tremendous opportunity to improve results, by leveraging specialized programs for rehabilitation.”
Despres will present this same talk during the International Workers’ Compensation Foundation’s Nevada Educational Conference, which will take place August 18-19 in Las Vegas, the release notes.
[Source: One Call Care Management]