Bio:

Sidney Gutierrez-Whitmire is a Phoenix, AZ native and Physical Therapist. She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Arizona, and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Northern Arizona University. She recently completed a residency in Geriatric Physical Therapy at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and is working full time in acute care at Mayo Clinic. She has past work experience in skilled nursing, memory care, long term care, and outpatient settings. Through her experiences she has become interested in physical therapy’s role in palliative and hospice care.  

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner should be able to:

• Identify the role that Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy may have within Palliative Medicine
• Recognize Palliative patient populations that Physical Therapy and/or Occupational Therapy may be beneficial in treating.
• Recognize symptoms and conditions that Physical and Occupational Therapy can treat in Palliative Care patients.
• Identify outcome measures which can be used to screen for Physical or Occupational Therapy referrals.
• Discuss the ways in which PT/OT can be more involved in interdisciplinary care with patients who are on the Palliative Medicine caseload.