THIS COURSE IS CURRENTLY FULL IF YOU WISH TO BE PLACED ON A WAITLIST IN CASE OF A CANCELLATION PLEASE EMAIL OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATOR, CAROLYN EARLE ON C.EARLE@BIGPOND.COM.

INTRODUCTION TO SLEEP

FRIDAY 22nd  SEPTEMBER, 2023  – 09:00 – 17:00

PRESENTED BY SUE MCCABE

About the course :-

 This introductory course is targeted to OTs across all sectors (all conditions, all age groups). The aims of the course are to provide evidence based information to promote practitioners’ knowledge about:

General sleep knowledge

– the importance of sleep and circadian health

– how sleep works, sleep disorders, general resources for sleep support

2. Targeted occupational therapy sleep knowledge

– sleep assessment for the home setting

– practical strategies to promote sleep in everyday living

– sleep and anxiety, pain, movement impairment, and safety

– resources (information, equipment, people) that are fundamental to practical and individualised sleep support

Using the SleepLinks ‘sleep comfort map’ as a guide, we will cover practical aspects of assessment, information, and equipment resources for :-

– health and medical comfort

– activities and routines comfort

– social-emotional-communication comfort

– thermal comfort

– sleep setting comfort

– sensory comfort

– position and movement comfort

‘Comfort’ means what is just right, for each individual and family.

‘Safety’ means health and medical, physical and social-emotional safety, for each individual and family.

About the presenter :-

 Sue McCabe (BScOT, MSc, PhD) is the sole provider of SleepLinks occupational therapy service in Perth. She has worked as an occupational therapist for over 40 years in Perth, NT and the UK, in hospital, rehabilitation and community settings, with people of all ages who have developmental, neurological, and musculo-skeletal conditions.

Over the past 15+ years, she has become focused on sleep: learning about the huge challenge this can be for so many people with disabilities and health conditions; learning about the massive impact this has on their  health, wellbeing and participation, and that of their families; and learning about the complex and diverse factors that are so important to sleep.

This learning is most importantly through her contact with the 100’s of clients and families who have described their unique sleep difficulties and the effects on their everyday lives. It has been enhanced by collaboration with colleagues across Perth, Australia and internationally. Key aspects of her learning have been i) a Churchill Fellowship (2007) which allowed her to travel to  the UK and Canada to attend specialist sleep training courses and to spend time with expert sleep clinicians and researchers, ii) completion of PhD studies (2019) which allowed her  to learn about research, and about sleep and biological rhythms, iii) membership of and participation in national and international sleep research groups and iv) continued research collaboration with sleep and disability researchers across Australia and internationally.

Sue has provided sleep training across the occupational therapy and allied health sector for many years. She has been an invited presenter of sleep training to clinicians in Singapore, Canada, New Zealand and across Australia. She contributes sleep information to the Assistive Technology unit for occupational therapy students at Edith Cowan University. She provides targeted sleep information to clinicians working with specific populations such as autism, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.

Sue is particularly passionate about the importance of sleep within the context of circadian health – our 24 hour rhythms which are so fundamental to all aspects of mental and physical health, and all aspects of function and participation. Sleep is ‘all about everything’ – physical and mental health, activities, environments, personal factors – and is a fundamental concern for all occupational therapists.