Home / Balance / Falls prevention

Balance / Falls prevention

Care Steps

Physical Therapy

  • Comprehensive assessment including:
    • Strength – hip abductors and extensors, knee extensors, ankle
    • AROM – bilateral upper and lower extremities, trunk, and neck
    • Sensation – using Semmes Weinstein monofilaments
    • Adaptive equipment – ambulation, bedroom and bathroom
    • Balance assessment – Tinetti, Berg, Timed up and Go, Stand and Reach
    • Assessment of footwear patient normally wears
    • Goal planning with patient and family
  • Comprehensive care plan:
    • Specific treatment strategies tailored for the individual patient
    • Use of equipment: foam pad, uneven surfaces, cones, etc.
    • Written and pictured home exercises taught to the patient and, when appropriate, to care givers
    • Re-assessment and updates as certain goals met or deemed unattainable
    • Reasonable amount of visits to achieve goals
    • Reinforcement of safety teaching – which activities the patient can practice independently and which must have supervision
    • Updates to referring physician

 

Skilled Nursing

  • Comprehensive assessment including:
    • Review of all body systems
    • Review of all prescribed medication and over the counter medicine taken by the patient
    • Blood pressure supine, sitting, and standing
    • Interview about history of dizziness or syncope
    • Goal planning with patient and family
  • Comprehensive care plan:
    • Medication teaching, including side effects and taking at correct time of day
    • Reasonable amount of scheduled visits to achieve goals
    • Updates to referring physician

 

  • Home Health Aides who have specific training in helping psychiatric patients manage their personal hygiene while appropriately managing fears, paranoia and disorders that make hygiene an issue