Choosing Functional Performance Measures in Geriatric Rehabilitation

Course Description

This course presents an overview of functional performance measures in geriatric rehabilitation. We review the history and theoretical background of these tools, and we discuss a number of the most commonly used instruments for assessing mobility, balance, and overall functional abilities. This course, which will be immediately useful in clinical care for any PT or OT professional, is clinically relevant in helping PTs, PTAs, OTs, and OTAs better understand the measurement of patients’ function in geriatric rehab.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Identify what functional performance measures (FPMs) can assess
• Discuss the history of the clinical use of FPMs
• Differentiate between different types of functional performance measures, outcome measures, and similar instruments
• Describe factors in the selection and use of FPMs with older adults
• Identify how impairments relate to functional deficits
• Delineate important factors to consider in selecting the correct FPM for specific patients
• Explain why mobility measures, balance and fall risk measures, and functional measures are important in geriatric assessment
• Identify at least 3 mobility measures and 4 balance measures commonly used with older adults and describe their parameters, use, and interpretation
• Choose and apply one or more appropriate FPMs to use in a given case scenario

• Prerequisites

  None

• Educational Level

  Intermediate

• Other

  Satisfactory completion of this course will require the participant to complete a 10 question post-test with a minimum passing score of 70%.