As a clinician who has worked in skilled nursing, home health, acute, and transitional care, I’ve seen and treated too many patients who experience falls. In the past, I focused too much of my attention on strengthening the low extremity or solely on home modification, which resulted in seeing minimal gains. What was I missing? There had to be a better way to treat this population. Finally, I discovered that by examining the myriad causes to falls – psychological, physiological, visual, and neuromuscular – I could effectively treat my patients by improving functional and occupational performance and giving them confidence with mobility in their home and community.  

In this lab-intensive training, learn and practice the evidence-based tools I use to help prevent falls. Feel confident and comfortable using these proven strategies that immediately carry over into your clinical setting.  

Course Outline

THE COST OF FALLS

• Frequency of falls – a breakdown in the US
• Results of falls
• Cost and future projections
• Environments where falls occur

CAUSES OF FALLS AND WAYS TO REDUCE THEM

• Specific causes
  • Medication
  • Ageism
  • Diagnosis
  • Contracture
  • Weakness
  • Compensatory gait patterns
• Common associations leading to falls
  • Fear of falling (stiffening strategy)
  • Genomic hypovitaminosis
  • Gender
  • UE weakness
• Visual space relation and fixation duration
  • Soleustretch and Visual Stance demonstration
  • LAB
• PNF functional strengthening techniques (CR vs HR vs CRAC)
  • GRAC Rowing (Modified D1, D2)
  • Gastroclock with CRAC technique
  • LAB
• Medication and mechanism
• Type I iliopsoas contracture and anterior pelvic tilt vs. posterior pelvic tilt
  • Male vs. female
  • Lengthen and shorten demonstration
  • LAB

CLINICAL AND EDUCATIONAL ROLE IN REDUCING FALLS

• Education
  • Sleep, adaptive equipment, home environment
  • Fall reduction in the home
  • Otago and other “fall reduction” programs
    • 4-Test Balance Scale (LAB)
    • Chair Stand Test

BEST PRACTICE: ASSESSMENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND EXERCISES

• Fall risk evaluations
  • Functional reach (FRT), TUG, Fall Algorithm
  • LAB
• Hip/frontal plane stabilizers
  • Reducing circumduction, shuffle, or Trendelenburg gait
  • Trochanter Tension
  • LAB
• Hip mobilizers
  • Seated and standing mobilization technique
  • Dynamic PNF chops
  • Quad sit-up (LAB)
  • Log roll
• Determinants of gait
• Exercise/activity dose and frequency

DOCUMENTATION AND CASE STUDY

• 5 platforms of successful documentation
• Documentation examples
• Case study