Education at your fingertips.
BIANJ hosts a series of webinars throughout the year and maintains a library relevant to survivors, caregivers, service providers, and everyone in between. View the list below to register for upcoming webinars, or view past presentations. If you’re in need of further assistance, please give our helpline a call at 1-800-669-4323.
Effective Community Reintegration Post Brain Injury
Presented by Melissa Moyer
March 20, 2024 at 1pm
This presentation will take a deeper look at the challenges faced by individuals who have sustained a brain injury that may affect one’s success in being able to integrate back into the community. We will dive into what encompasses community reintegration and its importance for individuals with brain injuries and their caregivers.
Objectives of this webinar are:
- Identify community reintegration activities.
- Identify challenges post brain injury that can affect one’s ability to effectively reintegrate into the community.
- Identify strategies for successful community integration activities.
Presenter Title and Bio:
Presenter: Melissa A. Moyer
Melissa Moyer is the Health & Wellness Coordinator at Opportunity Project, a Clubhouse model for adults who have sustained brain injuries. She has over 11 years of experience working with the brain injury community on health and wellness goals, including community integration activities. She has a Master’s Degree in Sports Nutrition and Exercise Sciences from Marywood University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Nutrition and an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.
Aphasia: A Loss of Language Not Intellect
Presented by Meredith Gemeiner
April 16, 2024 at 12 pm
Aphasia is a language disorder that can be caused by a brain injury such as a stroke, brain tumor, accident, or brain disease. Although it can affect one’s ability to speak, read, and write, aphasia alone does not affect one’s intellect. In this webinar, we will provide:
· An overview of aphasia
· Tips for communicating with someone with aphasia
· Information on programs and services offered through the Adler Aphasia Center
Presenter Bios:
Presenter: Meredith Gemeiner
Meredith Gemeiner is the Social Services and Outreach Manager at Adler Aphasia Center. Meredith facilitates caregiver and member support groups, oversees caregiver education programs, and conducts outreach in the community for Adler Aphasia Center.
Every Step Counts: Stroke from a Rehabilitation Perspective
May 9, 2024 at 12pm
Presenter: Jennifer Vasilik
Description:
Stroke can be an overwhelming experience for patients and caregivers, from the day of incidence through the rehabilitative process. In this webinar, we will:
· Identify the different types of strokes
· Discuss risk factors for stroke
· Explore the rehabilitative process as one recovers from stroke from a comprehensive, interdisciplinary perspective
Presenter Title and Bio:
Jennifer Vasilik is a neurologic physical therapist practicing in the outpatient setting at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s in Phillipsburg, NJ. She attended DeSales University in Center Valley, PA, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science with minors in Psychology and Sport and Exercise Physiology. She continued at DeSales to complete her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Jennifer treats a variety of neurologic diagnoses with special interest in stroke, brain injury, Parkinson Disease, and vestibular disorders. She is a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist (CSRS) and a LSVT BIG certified clinician for Parkinson’s treatment. She believes in identifying goals important to each individual to guide their treatment as they recover from or cope with neurologic disease.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Evaluation and Management
June 12th, 2024 12-1pm
Presenter: Stephanie Assuras
Description:
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) can be a confusing topic for both professionals and survivors. How is it diagnosed, and what can one expect in terms of recovery and treatment? In this webinar, we will:
· Explore the somewhat complicated definition of mTBI
· Better understand how diagnosis is established via assessment
· Discuss course of recovery and treatment
Presenter Bio:
Dr. Stephanie Assuras is an associate professor of neuropsychology in the Clinical Neuropsychology Service within the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. After completing her doctoral training in clinical neuropsychology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, she completed an internship at the University of Chicago Medical Center and advanced training in a clinical neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she received training in the assessment of both adults and children. She is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology with specialty in Clinical Neuropsychology. Her primary clinical and research activities have focused on differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, and primary progressive aphasia, as well as prognostication of shunt response in normal pressure hydrocephalus via cognitive assessment and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. In addition to her focus on aging and dementia, she has expertise in assessment of mild TBI, and cognitive behavioral interventions for persisting post-concussion syndrome.