Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care With Older Adults, Kate Gearman, Tessa Richards

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The older adult population in the United States (U.S.) is projected to increase over the next 30 years (United States Census Bureau, 2014). With that, nearly two-thirds of older adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with at least one chronic health condition (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016b). These findings highlight a need for more specialized services for this population. Primary care is one sector of healthcare service delivery operating within the U.S. healthcare system. Presently, occupational therapy services are limited in primary care settings as defined in this scholarly project. Occupational therapy services have demonstrated efficacy in …

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair, Brittany E. Wirth

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, previous studies have found the prevalence of rotator cuff tears may exceed 50% in individuals older than age 65. Since this age group is the fastest growing of the U.S. population, rotator cuff pathology is sure to become a more significant problem in the future. With this information, it is important to continue research on rotator cuff rehabilitation following arthroscopic surgery.

Case Description: This case report describes the physical therapy interventions and functional outcomes of a 58-year-old patient who underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a partial tear …

Evaluation Of Fall Risk, Functional Mobility And Quality Of Life Changes Of Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Parkinson's Disease Participating In A Community Exercise Program, Gabrielle Dahl, Elizabeth Hermanson, Laura Nelson, Kayla Selinger

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose/Hypothesis: Falls are evident in the older population and are a common and disabling feature of Parkinson Disease (PO). The benefits of activity are well known to decrease balance deficits and increase overall quality of life in the older adult population. In addition highly challenging exercises have been suggested to increase neuroplasticity in individuals with PD. The effect of challenging exercises on clinical outcomes in a structured Physical Therapy setting is documented in literature; however, the effect of a community based program is not well documented. Our pilot study examined the effect of a community exercise program on improving …

Stepping On: Gait Velocity And Fall Risk Assessment, Brittney Herbst

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose: To identify fall risk and determine if the Stepping On program is effective at reducing the risk of falls in participants by increasing gait speed to greater than or equal to 1 m/s. Step and stride length were also compared to age related norms to determine if they correlated to fall risk. Gait speed of less than I m/s has been shown to increase the risk for falls in elderly.

Methods: Fourteen female participants over the age of 65 (mean age of 87) were recruited from a local Stepping On class conducted at an assisted living facility …