Geriatric Gait - Clinical Analysis and Intervention

Course Outline

Geriatric Gait – Clinical Analysis and Interventions is a two-day interactive seminar designed to enhance the ability of clinicians to aid older patients in improving balance and gait and preventing falls. The course content emphasizes practical problem solving for immediate use by clinicians who are relatively inexperienced in geriatric practice and for the therapist seeking a comprehensive exploration of geriatric principles and treatment. Participants will analyze and document gait abnormalities caused by foot disorders, arthritis, neuropathies, and prosthetic use and will select from a wide range of interventions to individualize treatment in clinical and home care settings. Attendance at this course will increase clinical skill in attaining positive functional outcomes with limited visits.

The format of this course is didactic with substantial audiovisual illustrations. Participant interaction is an important feature. We invite registrants to bring videotapes of their patients for analysis and discussion in the clinical forum.


Course Objectives

• Describe the kinematics and kinetics of normal, middle-aged and geriatric gait, including changes caused by terrain and footwear.

• Select suitable means of documenting functional performance, including balance and gait.

• Identify gait disorders caused by musculoskeletal and neurological disorders, including foot abnormalities, arthritis, stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, peripheral neuropathies, late onset poliomyelitis and amputation

• Determine means of improving balance, coordination and flexibility, including
therapeutic exercise, assistive devices, orthosis, prosthesis, and environmental modifications.

 

Schedule of instruction

  Day One   Day Two
8:00 8:30 Registration 8:00 8:30 Continental breakfast
8:30 10:00 Middle-aged gait: beyond barefoot in the park 8:30 9:45 Foot Disorders
  • Time/distance factors   • Documenting shoe fit
  • Kinematics and kinetics   • Conservative interventions
  • Gender, shoes, terrain   • Hind-and-forefoot disorders
10:00 10:15 Break   • Diabetic foot care
10:15 11:00 Healthy aging 9:45 10:15 Arthritis
  • Physical changes that affect walking   • Ankle and knee disabilities
11:00 11:45 Normal elderly gait   • Obtaining assistive devices
  • Age related changes that influence walking 10:15 10:30 Break
  • Normal vs. pathological elderly gait 10:30 11:30 Parkinson’s Disease
11:45 12:45 Lunch (on your own)   • Staging interventions and disease progression
12:45 1:45 Critical Planning   • Exercises to retain and regain function
  • Functional documentation   • Environmental adaptations
  • Performance instruments 12:00 1:00 Lunch (on your own)
  • Self-report instruments 1:00 1:30 Alzheimer’s Disease
1:45 3:15 Clinical Interventions   • Working with caregivers
  • Balance   • Wandering: causes and
interventions
  • Coordination   • Environmental adaptations
  • Flexibility 1:30 2:15 Other Neuropathies
3:15 3:30 Break   • Matching interventions to stages of post poliomyelitis and
peripheral neuropathies
3:30 4:45 Clinical Interventions
(continued) 		  • Conservative management
  • Fall reduction 2:15 2:30 Break
  • Intrinsic and extrinsic factors relating to falls 2:30 3:30 Amputations
  • Environmental adaptations   • Transtibial and transfemoral gait disorders
4:45 5:10 Review/questions   • What to do until the prosthetist appointment
    3:30 4:30 Clinical Forum/References
    4:30 5:10 Review of day/Questions
       

Downloads

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Course Brochure for Geriatric Gait - Clinical Analysis and Intervention

Scheduled Dates and Locations

 

North American Seminars Courses for physical therapy and occupational therapy

 

Course Instructor
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Joan Edelstein, MA, PT, FISPO is Special Lecturer and former Director of the Physical Therapy Program at Columbia University. Her clinical practice includes rehabilitation and home care. While conducting research and teaching at New York University, she had investigated normal and pathological gait, lower and upper-limb prostheses and orthoses, and management of older adults with amputations. Professor Edelstein has written many journal articles, books, and book chapters; particularly with geriatric focus. She has published Prosthetics and Patient Management, a companion to her Orthotics: A Comprehensive Clinical Approach. Soon to appear is her clinical supplement, Falls: Causes and Preventions, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs. She serves on the editorial boards of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, and Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation.

A Certified Pedorthist and a Fellow of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics, Joan Edelstein consults with several senior centers. A renowned dynamic speaker, she presents clinically relevant professional seminars throughout the world.
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