Geriatric Differential Diagnosis

Course overview

The dynamic and complex nature of aging comes with typical age-related anatomical and physiological changes, in addition to possible multimorbidity and disability. This course explores the challenges of differential diagnosis in the midst of age-related changes and multimorbidities and presents a framework for clinical decision-making for physical therapy for the older adult. The strategies presented in this course are essential for examining and developing a plan of care for older adults with complex diagnoses, pain, orthopedic dysfunctions, neurologic deficits, multimorbidities, and general debility. The course will provide a comprehensive overview of differential diagnosis, examination principles, and clinical decision-making for the physical therapist caring for older adults across multiple system impairments in varied clinical settings, such as rehabilitation, hospital, primary care, home health, outpatient, and inpatient settings. It includes discussion of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model as a framework for physical therapist practice. Discussion combined with ample demonstration sessions will take the clinician through strategies for medical screening, upper and lower quarter screening, movement screening, and comprehensive and specific system screening.