chronic - Musculoskeletal Health Australia (MHA)

11/Dec/2023

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), whether with x-ray change (ankylosing spondylitis) or without x-ray change (non-radiographic axial SpA), is usually diagnosed many years after the onset of symptoms. Until diagnosis, chronic back pain is commonly experienced by people with this condition. This webinar will help you understand what axSpA is, how is it diagnosed and what are the common treatment and management approaches.

Our presenter: Dr Lionel Schachna

Dr Lionel Schachna is the director of rheumatology at the Austin Hospital. He runs the spondylitis clinic at the Austin Hospital which was established in 2004 and has treated more than 2000 patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Karla Wignall

07/Dec/2023

Sjogren’s disease is a multi-system autoimmune condition. Your immune system is designed to identify foreign bodies (e.g. bacteria, viruses), and attack them to keep you healthy. However in the case of Sjogren’s disease, your immune system attacks the glands in your body that make moisture (e.g. tears, saliva). In addition, Sjogren’s disease is associated with a number of co-morbidities that can be classified as extra glandular manifestations and this can include inflammatory arthritis, lupus-like rash, and other organ involvement. This webinar will provide the audience a greater understanding of Sjogren’s disease – what it is, how it is diagnosed and how it is managed.

Our presenter: Associate Professor Alberta Hoi

Associate Professor Alberta Hoi is a rheumatologist, leading lupus expert and translational researcher in Australia. Her research focusses on disease predictors and outcomes, registry design and implementation, quality of care and patient centred interactions. She received her undergraduate medical degree from Melbourne University (1996) and completed a PhD in immunology on a NHMRC scholarship from Monash University. Her current clinical activities include seeing patients at Monash Lupus Clinic, where she serves as the Clinic Head, as well as Complex Rheumatology Clinic at Monash Health, and Autoimmune Clinic at Austin Health. A/Prof Hoi plays an active role in a number of investigator-initiated lupus studies and clinical trials. Currently she is the chair and custodian of the Australian Lupus Registry and is also on the executive committee and a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Lupus Collaboration (APLC).

Karla Wignall

07/Dec/2023

In this webinar, Dr Christian Barton will discuss the importance of prescribed exercise and getting active to help manage knee osteoarthritis. A number of myths will be discussed and busted. The numerous benefits of exercise for osteoarthritis and general health will be discussed, and guidance on how to address pain to get active again provided.

Our presenter: Dr Christian Barton

Dr Christian Barton is a physiotherapist with his research and practice focused on the management of persistent knee pain and osteoarthritis (OA), as well as running-related injury. He is based at La Trobe University’s Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre in Melbourne and he also leads numerous projects related to facilitating patient and health professional education via digital and social media through the ‘Translating Research Evidence and Knowledge’ (or TREK) initiative. Christian also leads GLA:D Australia, which aims to improve access to appropriate exercise and education to all Australians with OA.

This webinar is sponsored by our valued partner *Peninsula Hot Springs

*It is important to note that webinar sponsors have no influence over the webinar content

Karla Wignall

07/Dec/2023

Have you heard about the microbiome, but are not really sure what it is? Wondered about the connection between the microbiome and your health? This webinar will review the methodology that has been developed to evaluate the human microbiome, discuss some of the pivotal studies that have evaluated the role of the microbiome in a person’s health generally, as well as studies specific to what is known about the microbiome in inflammatory musculoskeletal disease.

Our presenter: Conjoint Professor Marissa Lassere

Conjoint Prof Marissa Lassere is a clinical rheumatologist and Senior Staff Specialist Rheumatologist at St George Hospital. She is also involved in numerous research, ethics and quality improvement committees at a local, state and national level. Marissa has a track record in performing national and international collaborative research in establishing longitudinal cohorts in inflammatory arthritis, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), imaging biomarker development/ evaluation, statistical modelling of biomarker evaluation and surrogate therapeutics including simulation studies, meta-analyses and their evaluation, health informatics, adverse event ascertainment and quality improvement. She has many publications and has been successful in obtaining research grants, including a Centre of Research Excellence in inflammatorily arthritis and two Medical Research Future Fund grants in adult and juvenile arthritis. She is also the current Chair of the Management Committee of Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD). More recently she has undertaken research and has received grants on the microbiome in inflammatory arthritis and is affiliated with the Microbiome Research Centre, UNSW at St George Hospital.

Karla Wignall

07/Dec/2023

This webinar is designed to provide consumers with a better understanding of osteoarthritis and an overview of the most up-to-date hand therapy options for treating and managing their condition.

Our presenter: Ms Jessica Cauchi

Jessica Cauchi is an Accredited Hand Therapist (as awarded by AHTA) and a Clinic Director at Melbourne Hand Rehab. Jessica has a passion for providing client-centred, holistic care that is evidence-based. Jessica works with and educates clients about how to best manage their hand injuries and conditions to enable them to reach their identified goals. Jessica has a special interest in treating clients who have osteoarthritis and assisting in ways to maintain their function and participation in tasks they love to do.

Karla Wignall

07/Dec/2023

Living with a chronic health condition can, at times, feel like your condition is in control. Would you like to find out how to put yourself back in the ‘driver’s seat’ with your condition being a ‘passenger’? This webinar will give you some tips and strategies on how to how to effectively communicate with your healthcare providers; how to plan ahead for your appointments; and advice about being aware of your emotions’ impact on your information processing and decision-making. Understanding more from the perspective of your health professionals and what they are aiming to achieve when working with you will also be covered.

Our presenter: Ms Bridget Scanlon

Bridget is a psychologist who is committed to working from the biopsychosocial model of health. She is passionate about helping clients understand the mind–body connection and developing their confidence to cope independently. Bridget works in a multi-disciplinary team at Empower Rehab where they assist people experiencing persistent pain to do more. With special areas of interest in chronic pain and healthy ageing, Bridget values and enjoys working collaboratively with other members of the client’s treating team to ensure the client can achieve realistic, functional goals.

Karla Wignall

07/Dec/2023

Psoriatic arthritis can be challenging to recognise due to both the varied ways it can present and overlapping symptoms with other conditions. This difficulty can sometimes lead to a delay in diagnosis and ultimately treatment. This webinar will discuss the key features of psoriatic arthritis, including the main symptoms, tests that can assist diagnosis and effective treatments available.

Our presenter: Dr Adam Rischin

Dr Adam Rischin is a consultant rheumatologist with public hospital appointments at The Alfred and Goulburn Valley Health, and private practice appointments at Malvern Rheumatology, Southern Rheumatology, and Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne. Dr Rischin also consults with rural and regional patients around Australia through telehealth. He has clinical interests across all aspects of general rheumatology, particularly inflammatory arthritis, and is also trained in clinician-performed ultrasound.

Kay Mwaba

14/Aug/2023

Do you take better care of the person you are caring for than yourself?

If the answer is yes, you will benefit from this workshop. We will explore why your health and well-being are important, and give you strategies to help better care for yourself.

The workshop is open to all families and carers, especially those who find it difficult to care for themselves.

TOPICS WILL INCLUDE:

Why caring for ourselves is so important
What stops us caring for ourselves?
Making a self-care commitment

Our presenter: Sally Camilleri – Carer and Community Educator
Sally’s academic experience encompasses welfare studies, anthropology, and education. She has many years’ experiences as an educator and facilitator of learning that builds on a career in direct service delivery, community development and project management with people with a disability, women who experience disadvantage and Carers. This includes implementing financial literacy programs with refugee and migrant women, to build capacity to engage with our complex financial systems. Having worked with Carers Victoria for over four years, Sally has built a complex understanding of the carer perspective.