The Case for Developing a Movement System Framework for Older Adults.

Leaders and scholars from multiple academies of the American Physical Therapy Association are developing and defining movement system diagnoses to guide practice. However, there is no consensus on the need for or content of such frameworks. This Perspective describes current thought about movement system diagnoses in physical therapy and summarizes the work of the Academy of Geriatrics (APTA Geriatrics) Movement System Diagnosis Task Force (GMS-TF) as it contributes to the movement system diagnosis discussion within the profession.

Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy Research Agenda: Rationale for the Development and the Intent for Use.

The rationale for the development and the intent for use of a research agenda for the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy is described. The reasons for the research agenda for geriatric physical therapy are (1) to have a broad representation of the research conducted by physical therapist(s) working with older adults, (2) to provide guidance and assistance to emerging investigators to aid the trajectory of a research career, and (3) as a document to engage potential funding agencies, foundations, and individuals in support of physical therapist-conducted research. The design was based on the Research Agenda for Physical Therapy (APTA document), formatted to be consistent with the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, priority ratings for the research statements, and specific examples of research questions for each category of the Research Agenda.

APTA Geriatrics' Guiding Principles for Best Practices in Geriatric Physical Therapy: An Executive Summary.

Geriatric physical therapy requires a unique skill set and knowledge to provide best practice care. The skill set requires clinicians to recognize the significance of the continuum of aging from optimal to pathology-influenced aging and how psychosocial, environmental, behavioral, accessibility, and economic factors affect this aging continuum, optimal health, and wellness. Employing this distinctive skill set while also utilizing evidence-based practice, acknowledging the variability observed in older adults, and utilizing interwoven care systems that impact outcomes are key characteristics of best practice.

The Value of Home Health Physical Therapy.

The purpose of the Triple Aim is to improve population health, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the patient experience. These goals-to reduce cost while improving health outcomes and patient experiences have shifted utilization of services from other postacute care settings to the home. The purpose of this perspective article is to discuss how home healthcare services, and home physical therapy (PT) specifically, provide value to patients, caregivers, and payers to meet the goals of the Triple Aim.

Patient centered care: A path to better health outcomes through engagement and activation.

Background: Patient Activation and Health confidence are constructs to assess patient engagement and are utilized to encourage patient engagement. A health care provider may increase patient engagement further by utilizing behavior change theories and models such as the Trans-Theoretical Model of Change (TTM), Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) to realize effective and lasting health behavior change by placing accountability increasingly on the patient/caregiver to choose to make changes in their health behavior on their terms. Reducing or eliminating harmful behaviors such as smoking and/or beginning or increasing beneficial health behaviors such as diet modification or performance of an exercise program, patients realize improved outcomes and better health.

The effects of a home-based exercise program on balance confidence, balance performance, and gait in debilitated, ambulatory community-dwelling older adults: a pilot study.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of a home-based standing exercise and balance training program on balance confidence, balance performance, and gait in debilitated, ambulatory community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: A quasi-experimental single group pre- to posttest design was utilized in 14 subjects, 9 male and 5 female, aged 71 to 85 years receiving home care. Measurements included the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), and the One-Leg Stance Test (OLST) administered prior to and following 4 weeks of exercise and balance training.

Nuclear/radiological terrorism: emergency department management of radiation casualties.

Recent world events have increased concern that hospitals must be prepared for radiological emergencies. Emergency departments (EDs) must be ready to treat patients suffering from injuries in combination with radiation exposure or contamination with radioactive material. Every hospital should have a Radiological Emergency Medical Response Plan, tested through periodic drills, which will allow effective handling of contaminated and injured patients.

Operational health physics.

A review of the operational health physics papers published in Health Physics and Operational Radiation Safety over the past fifteen years indicated seventeen general categories or areas into which the topics could be readily separated. These areas include academic research programs, use of computers in operational health physics, decontamination and decommissioning, dosimetry, emergency response, environmental health physics, industrial operations, medical health physics, new procedure development, non-ionizing radiation, radiation measurements, radioactive waste disposal, radon measurement and control, risk communication, shielding evaluation and specification, staffing levels for health physics programs, and unwanted or orphan sources. That is not to say that there are no operational papers dealing with specific areas of health physics, such as power reactor health physics, accelerator health physics, or governmental health physics.

Operational health physics.

A review of the operational health physics papers published in Health Physics and Operational Radiation Safety over the past fifteen years indicated seventeen general categories or areas into which the topics could be readily separated. These areas include academic research programs, use of computers in operational health physics, decontamination and decommissioning, dosimetry, emergency response, environmental health physics, industrial operations, medical health physics, new procedure development, non-ionizing radiation, radiation measurements, radioactive waste disposal, radon measurement and control, risk communication, shielding evaluation and specification, staffing levels for health physics programs, and unwanted or orphan sources. That is not to say that there are no operational papers dealing with specific areas of health physics, such as power reactor health physics, accelerator health physics, or governmental health physics.