Falls Prevention: Evaluation and Treatment
Course Preview
Course Description:
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Every second of every day in the United States an older adult falls”. We are living in a world that is increasingly aging. By 2030, older adults are projected to outnumber children. BUT, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. Rehab professions can help reduce the risks of falls. Join Sarah (Sally) Stillings, MA, PT, MPT, CHT, as she walks us through a detailed look at Falls Prevention. She will cover:
- Understanding Falls – Definitions and Epidemiology
- Clinical Screening and Assessment
- Reducing Fall Risks – Creating the Plan of Care
- Addressing the Environment
- Exercise-Based Fall Prevention Strategies
Methods of Instruction:
Online audio/video course
Course Instructor:
Sarah R. Stillings, MA, PT, MPT, CHT
Target Audience:
Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapist Assistants and Athletic Trainers.
Educational Level:
Intermediate
Prerequisites:
None
Course Goals and Objectives:
At the completion of this course, participants should be able to:
- Identify the incidence and prevalence of falls, understand the definitions and epidemiology
- Recognize the potential consequences of immobility in the elderly and how to prevent them
- Differentiate between risk factors: intrinsic and extrinsic, modifiable and non-modifiable
- Recognize and differentiate between clinical practice guidelines: ABS/GBS Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention of Falls in Older Persons, STEADI: Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline, World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management for Older Adults and more
- Recognize and implement the guideline's applicability to clinical practice
- Differentiate between Fall Risk Assessment Measures and how to utilize them clinically
- Identify outpatient risk reduction interventions: patient education, range of motion/flexibility, muscle strengthening/endurance/power, gait training and balance training
- Identify how to address the environment to prevent falls
- Recognize exercise-based fall prevention strategies based on varying practice guidelines
- Identify individualized exercise intervention strategies: gait training, range of motion/flexibility, strength training, core exercises, lower extremity exercises, aerobic exercise, and balance training
Criteria for Obtaining Continuing Education Credits:
A score of 70% or greater on the post-test