Occupational therapists and physical therapists focus on fall prevention in daily treatments—often, in patients’ homes. You can prevent injuries, hospitalizations, and even death by reducing someone’s fall risk. Many therapists regularly treat patients older than 60 years old, which automatically puts them at higher risk for life-threatening injuries, including brain injuries. As clinicians, we must […] The post 6 Tips for Fall Prevention at Home and Beyond appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Did you know? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 95 percent of all hip fractures result from falls.1 After a hip fracture in an older adult, the mortality rate within one year is between 18 and 31 percent.2 After a fall with a hip fracture, only half of older adults were […] The post 5 Strategies for Preventing Hip Fractures in Older Adults appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Falls and fall-related injuries are very common. Over 33 percent of adults over 65 years old fall each year, and most adults who fall are more likely to fall multiple times.1 Falls are associated with a decrease in function, and most people do not return to their previous level of functional status after a fall.2 […] The post Retraining Balance to Prevent Falls in the Older Adult appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Often when we talk about dementia, we equate it with memory loss. While memory loss is one of the cognitive changes that occur in persons with dementia, they may experience many other possible symptoms. Dementia is not a diagnosis in itself. Rather, dementia refers to a collection of symptoms that impair a person’s thinking and […] The post Dementia-Associated Sensory Challenges: Tips for Effective Communication appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Across all settings, patients are still falling in our care, and some are experiencing recurrent falls.  Even patients admitted due to a fall are falling in our care! Despite decades of research and resources invested in patient safety, falls continue to be the most reported patient safety incident in hospitals.1 Falls are considered a “never […] The post 5 Solutions for a Better Fall Prevention Program appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

The population of adults over the age of 65 is rapidly rising, leading to more people hoping to age well. However, aging is associated with a natural decrease in physical and physiological health which can lead to increased disability, dependence, and risk of comorbidities due to declining muscle strength and mass. The Impact of Muscle […] The post Keep It Moving: Strength and Balance Training for the Older Adult appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Are you ready to take your practice to the next level? Now is the time for PTs and OTs to improve their clinical acumen and become recognized as a critical component in the workup for and management of persons with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) and the parkinsonisms, conditions that cause a combination of the movement abnormalities […] The post The Rehabilitation Professional as a Movement Disorders Specialist: Are We Ready? appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

I receive emails on a regular basis from occupational therapists who would love to start treating incontinence in various settings. I am often asked what exercises to do or how many Kegels to prescribe. While I am always excited to hear from therapists interested in pelvic muscle programming, I don’t jump in to talk about […] The post Addressing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: 5 Steps for Getting Started appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Would it surprise you that just over half of the long-term care rehabilitation therapy personnel surveyed in a recent study “rarely” or “never” used mechanical lifts for patient handling?1 Considering these clinicians are musculoskeletal experts with a background in body mechanics, perhaps the choice to manually lift is not surprising. But the injury statistics are […] The post Protect Yourself from Patient Handling Injuries: Know How to Lift and When to Lift appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more

Engaging, beautiful, and purposeful, Montessori materials are great for everyone—including older adults with memory care needs. Just as Montessori classroom teachers guide and support students instead of lecturing to them, Montessori staff guide and support older adults instead of doing everything for them. In a Montessori setting, staff and elders work shoulder to shoulder as […] The post Using Montessori Materials with Older Adults appeared first on MedBridge Blog ..read more