Supporting workers with chronic and episodic health conditions can be challenging because impairments may not be obvious and visible and workers may prefer not to disclose their issues.  When workers ask for support, a one-time solution may not be sufficient and work arrangements may need to change over time. The module provides people with responsibilities in the area of workplace health with approaches that can be used to retain workers and mitigate the effect of chronic and episodic health conditions on work performance and work absence.

The module will cover the types and characteristics of chronic and episodic health conditions and explore some common conditions. The costs for workers and workplaces when chronic and episodic conditions are not addressed will be examined as well as issues of disclosure and privacy; strategies for mitigating the impact of such conditions on workers and their employment; return to work planning and accommodation from a biopsychosocial perspective; the role of service providers; and wellness initiatives.

$250

Worldwide, back pain is the most common cause of activity limitations and absences from work. Back injuries are complex and can be difficult to diagnose because the etiology or causes of back pain can lie in muscle, bone and joint and nervous systems; arise as a result of unrelated health conditions such as cancer; result from work, home and leisure activity; and be compounded by mental health issues such as stress and anxiety. In the workplace back injuries affect the physical and emotional wellbeing of workers leading to lowered productivity and lost time.

This module will examine the incidence and causes; job-related factors that might contribute to back pain; approaches that have been successful in treatment and rehabilitation; a multi-faceted approach to work ability and maintain people in jobs; the development and implementation of return to work and remain at work plans for worker with back pain; appropriate job accommodations; and the role of wellness and OH&S programs as an adjunct to disability management programs.

$250

The purpose of this module is to explore the steps that can be taken to assist and retain workers who have been diagnosed with cancer and who, during the course of their treatment, must deal with challenges including treatment effects such as fatigue and pain, anxiety about the future and financial losses and costs. Individuals may wish to continue working during some of their treatment or may need to take time away from work.

The module covers topics including information on cancer in general and why it is approached as a chronic and episodic illness. The benefits and challenges related to retaining workers who are dealing with cancer are examined, and the biopsychosocial impacts on individual workers who are dealing with cancer. Participants will consider how disability management plans address the interplay among a range of factors related to the type and stage of cancer, individual characteristics and situations, and the current job in which the person is engaged and their workplace. They will also identify appropriate job accommodations for workers who are dealing with cancer.

$250

This module will provide professionals with disability management and workplace health responsibilities with an understanding of the causes and experience of pain and with some tools to support workers who are dealing with pain. Participants will explore the physiological process through which pain is experienced; the types and causes of pain; the impact of pain on workers and the workplace; common treatments for pain; methods for supporting workers with pain both at the organizational and individual level; a biopsychosocial approach to assisting workers in remaining at work or returning to work when their disability involves pain; and work accommodations for workers with pain.

$250

While motion is essential to maintaining musculoskeletal health, the wrong kind of motion can result in short and long-term disability. Because people use their hands and arms so much while working, upper limb pain and impairment can be a significant impediment to carrying out work tasks with ease.  Upper limb disorders are injuries that affect the shoulders, neck, arms and hands.  They include a range of impairments that are most often caused by repetitive movements, force, awkward postures, rapid movements, and heavy loads, often in combination, and often emerging over a period years.

This module covers the causes of upper body disorders, symptoms, treatment, accommodations and return to work/remain at work planning, and the rationale for initiatives that address this common health condition.  Participants will also focus on tools that can be used to assess awkward postures and repetitive movements that might cause problems for workers and how these can be eliminated or mitigated in the workplace.

$250

The workforce in many countries is aging. People are living longer and birthrates are decreasing in many developed nations—and when fewer younger workers are moving into the labor market, helping older workers to remain productive and stay in jobs becomes more important. Many older workers prefer to stay in employment because they need the income and because they are able to maintain a sense of purpose. Further many government policies tend to support this including policies related to retirement age and retirement income. There are many ways of characterizing who is an older worker, although most research defines this group as people who are 55 years of age and over.

This module will explore the benefits to retaining older workers and the challenges; push and pull factors related to whether older workers stay at work; the concept of work ability as it applies to older workers; strategies related to the work environment, job design and other supports for older workers; and barriers and facilitators of return to work and remain at work.

$250

Supporting workers with mental health conditions—many of which are chronic and/or episodic—can be challenging. These conditions are often invisible, undisclosed, and sometimes undiagnosed, making it difficult for workplaces to recognize them and respond appropriately. This course examines the etiology, workplace-related indicators, and treatment approaches associated with common mental health conditions encountered at work.

At the individual level, the course explores how employees can be encouraged to seek assistance and how appropriate accommodations, referrals to treatment, and self-management supports can be put in place. It also examines the value of collaboration with prevention, occupational health and safety, and workplace wellness programs. At the organizational level, the focus is on creating a workplace culture in which mental health challenges are understood, supported, and not stigmatized.

$250

The capstone module integrates condition-specific knowledge covered in earlier modules with a whole-organization approach to workplace health. Participants will explore how knowledge of best practices, development of policies that facilitate staying at work and return to work, awareness and shaping of an empathetic workplace culture, and continuing evaluation of the workplace situation in regard to chronic and episodic health conditions, can lead to positive outcomes, influencing retention of employees, recovery and productivity.

$250