Improving Balance and Reducing Fall Risk

Course overview

Once an older adult has been identified as being at risk of falling, Physical Therapists and other health professionals must develop and prioritize a problem list, set meaningful and measurable goals, assess outcomes of intervention, and make plans for discharge. This course will consider each of these factors, with an emphasis on evidence-based interventions and effective documentation and communication, so that Physical Therapists and other health professionals can be as effective as possible in reducing risk of falling for the older adults in their care. This final course in our three course series completes the triad of 1) understanding the neurophysiology of postural control and the age-related and disease related factors that may compromise efficacy of balance systems, 2) determining an older person's individualized risk of falling using both screening and multifactorial risk assessment strategies and 3) developing evidence-based interventions that will reduce that risk.