What is 24-Hour Postural Care?

24-Hour Postural Care is both a therapeutic and a preventative approach which considers body positions over a 24-hour period in order to maximize function and decrease body distortion in people with movement disorders.

24-Hour Postural Care can:

  • Help to mitigate the negative impact of gravity on body shape
  • Decrease pain
  • Improve sleep
  • Improve sitting posture and daytime function
  • Increase ease of physical care
  • Improve digestion, respiration, and toileting

What is the 24-Hour Postural Care Project?

Our project provides consultation and training to providers across Vermont who are working with children and young adults with severe movement disorders.  

We provide consultation on:

  • Analyzing posture across a 24-hour period
  • Assessing body symmetry and other outcomes measures such as pain levels and quality and quantity of sleep
  •  Trialing, ordering, fitting a sleep system, if needed
  •  Assessing positioning in other equipment throughout the day
  • Identifying the positioning goals for each activity within a 24-hour period

How does the project work?

  • We identify those in need of 24-Hour Postural Care by discussions with and training of local providers.  Our process starts with a routines-based intake meeting to better define the needs of the individual team and family.
  • We support teams to learn to measure body symmetry and other outcome measures such as pain levels and quality and quantity of sleep through modeling, coaching and training.
  • We provide consultation to teams to trial sleep systems and other positioning equipment.
  • We train teams and families in use of new equipment.
  • We monitor the team and family’s implementation of new equipment and support teams to re-measure on a regular basis to measure progress.

  • How can 24-Hour Postural Care help?

     

     
    incorrect posturecorrected posture
    Unsupported sleep positionSupported sleep position
    We consider posture across all 24 hours and utilize nighttime hours to increase body symmetry and to help minimize the distorting effects of gravity. The use of a sleep positioning system to create a symmetric and supported sleep position can improve body shape, decrease pain, and improve sleep for both the child and caregivers.

     

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Pam Cummings

 

Pamela Cummings(She/Her)

24-Hour Postural Care Project Director

pamela.cummings@uvm.edu | 24hrpc@uvm.edu
 

 

Trainings

What Is 24-Hour Postural Care? An Introduction

  • 1-hour Zoom training
  • Audience: anyone interested in learning more about 24-Hour Postural Care, and gaining an understanding of what it is and who might benefit. This includes families, caregivers, physicians and nurses, Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers, rehab providers, and educators.

24-Hour Postural Care Pathway

  • 2-3 hours in-person or via Zoom, with an optional in-person 1-hour equipment demonstration
  • In-depth information for rehab providers on known body distortions, how to determine if 24-Hour Postural Care is indicated, assessment of body symmetry and other outcome measures, sleep systems and intervention strategies.