Fall Prevention in Older Adults – 5 Hours

Description

Falls are a leading cause of injury and death, resulting from a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Developing effective prevention strategies requires addressing these underlying causes. Falls can cause significant declines in function and health, especially in older adults. Healthcare professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, play a crucial role in fall prevention. Various balance assessments can identify an individual’s fall risk, and multiple interventions are available to help mitigate this risk. Understanding how falls happen, how to respond after a fall, and implementing preventive measures are all essential steps to reduce fall-related injuries.

Upon completion of the Fall Prevention in Older Adults course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the prevalence of falls.
• Discuss epidemiology regarding falls.
• Identify causes and risk factors of falls.
• Discuss evaluating a patient post-fall.
• Identify examination techniques used to evaluate a patient post-fall.
• Have the tools to implement a balance and fall prevention program.
• Describe fall prevention strategies in acute care.
• Discuss perceptions related to falls and fall prevention among hospitalized adults.
• Describe ways to prevent falls in the geriatric population.
• Discuss single- and multifactorial fall-prevention strategies.
• Describe how to perform a risk assessment and be able to implement fall prevention strategies associated with each risk.
• Understand how to perform and score the Berg Balance Assessment.
• Understand how to perform the Timed Up and Go test.
• Describe the association between vitamin D and fall prevention in women.
• Describe the effectiveness of physical therapist-administered group-based exercise in fall prevention.
• Describe physical therapy for improving balance and reducing fall risk for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
• Describe the association of flexibility, balance, and lumbar strength with balance ability.
• Understand how single-task vs. dual-task training affects balance performance in older adults.
• Describe the occupational therapy perspective on fall prevention.
• Describe safety versus independence as it relates to fall prevention.
• Understand the need for support for caregivers of patients with a history of falls.
• Describe vestibular conditions and how they can relate to falls.

Author: Lisa Augustyn, PT, DPT, Dianna Lunsford, OTD, M.Ed. OTR/L CHT

Contact Hours: 5 Hours / 5 PDR

Teaching Method: An online, text-based self-study course with a post-test. This format is ideal for those who prefer independent learning at their own pace, without audio or video. Participants engage with written materials, creating a focused, distraction-free learning environment. The course also includes an assessment to evaluate understanding and retention. A minimum score of 70% is required to pass and receive a certificate of completion.

Target Audience: Physical Therapists & Physical Therapy Assistants

Course Completion Certificate: A Printable (PDF) Certificate by Email

Cancellation / Refund Policy: By completing your purchase from Biologix Solutions LLC, you agree that you are purchasing digital, non-tangible product/service/training courses and, as such, are not entitled to a refund once accessed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone or email before purchasing the online course.

Approvals: State Board of Physical Therapy & American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) State Chapters Approved. Please visit the accreditation section for the full list: Click Here