Preventing Falls by Identifying Risk

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Video Runtime: 95 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 58 Minutes

How do we screen for and assess balance and fall risk? The number of available screening and assessment tools can feel overwhelming. This course provides the necessary information to help participants with selecting appropriate screening and/or assessment tools. The course begins by setting the stage and discussing what practitioners should be looking for, how to screen for it, and how to select the risk factors to further evaluate patients in order to prescribe an appropriate intervention or refer out. Depending on a patient’s screen results, a practitioner will be able to select appropriate assessment tools and document a thorough clinical assessment.

Meet your instructor

Mariana Wingood

Dr. Mariana Wingood is an assistant professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She earned her DPT from SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2012 and a graduate certificate in epidemiology, a PhD in human functioning and rehabilitation sciences, and an MPH from the University of Vermont (UVM) in 2021. While at UVM,…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. Why Bother With Psychometric Properties in Fall Prevention?

This chapter introduces participants to concepts of pretest and posttest probability in the diagnosis of risk of falling among community-dwelling older adults.

2. What Are the Screening Recommendations?

This chapter summarizes the best currently available evidence for screening community-living older adults regarding risk of falling.

3. How to Use Interviews and Questionnaires to Identify Next Steps

In this chapter, examples of questions to be used in intake interview of multifactorial fall risk assessments are provided. An overview of standardized questionnaires is also provided.

4. What Performance Measure Should You Use?

This chapter provides an overview of five functional performance measures supported by the best evidence currently available and highlights several impairment-level risk factors that can further inform evaluation, goal setting, and intervention planning.

5. Can Fall Detection or Assessment Technology Enhance Our Assessment Interpretations?

This chapter provides an overview of fall detection and assessment technologies currently available. It also provides insight into how this technology may enhance assessments.

6. Data Collection Is Done—Now What?

This chapter presents how to use the results of the therapy examination and evaluation process to develop a problem list and write goals that will drive the plan of care.

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