Smartphone- and Paper-Based Delivery of Balance Intervention for Older Adults Are Equally Effective, Enjoyable, and of High Fidelity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Home-based rehabilitation programs for older adults have demonstrated effectiveness, desirability, and reduced burden. However, the feasibility and effectiveness of balance-intervention training delivered through traditional paper-versus novel smartphone-based methods is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate if a home-based balance-intervention program could equally improve balance performance when delivered via smartphone or paper among adults over the age of 65.

Physical therapist clinical reasoning in home care for walking assistive device prescription: A description of practice.

Background: Home care in the United States (US) provides rehabilitative care to people who are homebound after acute hospitalization. Patients with stroke and brain injury (BI) are commonly seen by physical therapists (PTs/PTAs), who often address the loss of walking independence. Clinical reasoning (CR) is required for walking assistive device (WAD) prescription within the home.

Every person is an individual: physical therapist clinical reasoning used in inpatient rehabilitation for walking assistive device prescription in patients with stroke and brain injury.

Purpose: A complete description of the process of physical therapy clinical reasoning for walking assistive devices in patients with stroke and brain injury has never been undertaken. Describing the clinical reasoning process used in post-acute inpatient rehabilitation is important to shed light on the clinical activities and factors used in practice, prevent device abandonment, and, inform entry-level clinical training. The two purposes were first, to describe the clinical reasoning process used during inpatient rehabilitation for walking assistive devices in patients with stroke and brain injury, and second, to determine whether clinical reasoning differed by two facility types and by diagnosis.

Meaningful Functional Change Achieved from Physical Therapy Provided in a Student-Run Pro Bono Clinic.

Objective: This study investigated whether patients with chronic neurologic diagnoses who attended a student-run pro bono physical therapy (PT) clinic achieved the minimum detectable change (MDC) on functional measures and the factors associated with such change.

Methods: Retrospective chart review included 71 patients with a primary diagnosis of stroke, traumatic brain injury, or multiple sclerosis from 2010 to 2014. The sample was 45% female, with a mean age of 62 yrs (SD 12.

Association Between Therapy Intensity and Discharge Outcomes in Aged Medicare Skilled Nursing Facilities Admissions.

Objectives: To determine the association between therapy intensity and discharge outcomes for aged Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) fee-for-service beneficiaries and to determine the association between therapy intensity and time to community discharge.

Design: Retrospective observational design.

Setting: SNFs.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients With Stroke Aged 85 Years or Older.

Background: In the United States, people 85 years of age or older have a growing number of strokes each year, and this age group is most at risk for disability. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) adhere closest to post-acute stroke rehabilitation guidelines and have the most desirable outcomes compared with skilled nursing facilities. As stroke is one of the leading causes of disability, knowledge of postrehabilitation outcomes is needed for this age group, although at present such information is limited.

Predicting goal achievement during stroke rehabilitation for Medicare beneficiaries.

Purpose: Few studies have investigated the ability of treatment teams to predict functional improvement and whether an association between predicted goals and discharge function in patients with stroke exists. This study investigated goal prediction during stroke rehabilitation delivered in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) and the factors associated with goal prediction.

Methods: A serial, cross-sectional design analyzing the Medicare IRF Patient Assessment Instrument dataset.

Shorter length of stay is associated with worse functional outcomes for medicare beneficiaries with stroke.

Background: Understanding of the potential impact that length of stay (LOS) may have on Medicare beneficiaries' poststroke discharge function and discharge destination since implementation of a prospective payment system is lacking.

Objective: This study examined the trends and associations between LOS and discharge outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries with stroke treated in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs).

Design: A serial, cross-sectional analysis of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument dataset was conducted.