RehabMaLL Living Lab Community of Practice: Learning Together to Improve Social Participation for People with Disabilities

e46 Research Poster 3543 Impact of Intensive Exercise on Physical Function of Adults with Chronic-Moderate-to-Severe Brain Injury Ann L. Charrette (MCPHS University), Karen S. Lamson, Jeff Fong, Therese M. O’Neil-Pirozzi, Michelle Demore-Taber Objective(s): Effects of high-intensity group exercise on the endurance, advanced mobility, and gait speed of adults with chronic moderate-tosevere acquired brain injury (ABI) were investigated. Design: Prospective, non-randomized, unblinded interventional trial. Setting: Fitness center in a community based, supported, independent living environment. Participants: Fourteen adults with chronic moderate-to-severe ABI in supported independent living who could stand with minimal or no assist and walk with or without ambulation device and/or bracing were studied. Eight presented with low ambulatory status, and six had high ambulatory status at baseline. Interventions: Subjects received a 6-week high-intensity exercise group intervention for 90 minutes, 3 days/week assisted by personal trainers under physical therapist supervision. Strengthening (e.g. lifting free weights), endurance, balance exercises and stretching, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. Main Outcome Measure(s): Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT); Gait speed; High Level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT); Participation Objective, Participation Subjective (POPS); Self-Efficacy Scale. Results: Changes in impairment and activity limitation measures were statistically significant for the group and greater than the minimal detectable change (MDC) for this population. Average change on the 6MWT from baseline to after the intervention was greater than five times the MDC for people with chronic stroke. 10MWT outcomes indicate that three subjects transitioned from low to high ambulatory status and maintained the change six weeks later. Conclusions: People living with chronic ABI can significantly improve endurance, demonstrate ability to do advanced gait, and improve ambulatory status with six weeks of intensive exercise. Study impact on participation in community life is not yet known. Challenges to sustainability of exercise programs for people with chronic moderate-to-severe ABI remain. Key Words: Brain injuries, Exercise, Physical, Gait Disclosure(s): Ann L. Charrette PT DPT MS PCS NCS, Laura S. Lorenz, PhD, MEd, CBIS,Therese O’Neil-Pirozzi, ScD, CCC-SLP, Michelle Demore-Taber, ScD, LRC, CBIS are all volunteer members of the research Advisory Council for Supportive Living Inc., where this study was conducted. Ann L Charrette is a volunteer Physical Therapy Consultant for AccesSportAmerica which provided the personal trainers for the intervention. Laura S. Lorenz is employed as Director of research and Education at Supportive Living Inc. Michelle Demore-Taber is Director of Brain Injury Services at Advocates, which manages the Supportive Living Inc. residential housing. Jeffrey Fong, PharmD, BCPS and Karen S. Lamson, MLS have nothing to disclose. Research Poster 3547 RehabMaLL Living Lab Community of Practice: Learning Together to Improve Social Participation for People with Disabilities Dahlia Kairy, Barbara Mazer (McGill University, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal - Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital), Andre´anne Guindon Objective(s): A community of practice (CoP) was developed to facilitate collaboration between stakeholders involved in a large multidisciplinary and multi-sectorial project, the Rehabilitation Living Lab in a Mall (RehabMaLL). This study aimed to evaluate the structure, process and outcomes of the RehabMaLL CoP after 20 months. Design: Single case-study using mixed-methods. Setting: Rehabilitation centers, universities and community settings in Montreal, Canada.

Research Posters Participants: 43 participants including researchers, clinicians, members of community organizations, people living with a disability, family members, and representatives of governmental agencies. Interventions: CoPs can facilitate collaboration between people who share a common interest, but do not usually work together. Activities in the RehabMaLL CoP included in person meetings and online discussion. Main Outcome Measure(s): Data from the meetings and the online platform was collected throughout. Questionnaires and phone interviews were conducted after 1 year. Results: A total of 60.5% of participants engaged in a least one online discussion, for a total of 234 comments posted. A majority of participants (95%) took part in a minimum of one of four in-person meetings. Participants expressed satisfaction regarding the opportunity to share knowledge with people from diverse backgrounds and the usefulness of the CoP for the RehabMaLL project. Collaboration led to concrete outcomes, such as a sensitization activity and a research project. Common challenges included lack of time and difficulty finding common objectives. Conclusions: A CoP can be a useful strategy to facilitate knowledge sharing on disability issues. Future research is necessary to determine strategies for increasing knowledge creation between members. Key Words: Learning, Community networks, Collaboration Disclosure(s): None Disclosed. Research Poster 3586 WITHDRAWN

Research Poster 3589 WITHDRAWN

Research Poster 3591 The Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Functional Impairments Caused by Ischemic Stroke Sheila Rosenberg (Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare), Stephanie Kaplan, Emily Rosario Objective(s): To investigate the mechanistic and functional effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Design: Single case study design. Setting: Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic. Participants: Subjects (nZ6) were included in this study if they had suffered an ischemic stroke approximately 12-months ago and exhibited some functional impairments. Interventions: During the study each subject received two 4-week periods of HBOT with a 4-week break between treatment periods for a total of 40 treatments of hyperbaric oxygen over a 12-week period. Main Outcome Measure(s): Each participant completed a battery of cognitive, physical, speech, and quality of life measures six times over the duration of the study, which included a 3-month period to establish the baseline and a 3-month follow-up after the conclusion of HBOT. In addition, blood was drawn at the same 6 time points for biochemical analysis of biomarker expression levels. Results: Improvements were observed in verbal and non-verbal memory. Gait velocity and upper extremity function were also improved following HBOT. Participants reported improved sleep, overall recovery, and a decrease in

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