Geriatric Physical Therapy Competencies
Upon completion of the physical therapy specialty track, a student will be able to:
1. Enhance entry-level physical therapy practice by developing advanced skills that provide comprehensive physical therapy services for older adults across the continuum of care.
2. Develop the specialized physical therapy components of health promotion/disease prevention, fitness and wellness programs for the older adults as part of the interdisciplinary team.
3. Develop the specialized physical therapy components for geriatric disease management programs across the continuum of care as part of the interdisciplinary team.
4. Establish professional practice perspectives that embody the core values and ethical principles in physical therapy when caring for older adults.
5. Use evidenced-based practice approaches when providing physical therapy for older adults.
6. Show in-depth knowledge of the effects of aging on the musculoskeletal, integumentary, cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular, and cognitive systems.
7. Describe how the principle of physical therapy geriatric examination and evaluation differ from general physical therapy examinations.
8. Demonstrate the ability to perform a specialized geriatric physical therapy examination and evaluate/interpret the findings.
9. Provide specialized geriatric physical therapy diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care.
10. Apply specialized geriatric knowledge to the development of therapeutic interventions relevant to the older adult.
11. Apply and integrate specific principles of geropharmacotherapeutics as they relate to examining, evaluating and diagnosing the physical function of older adults, and the subsequent prognosis, plan of care, and interventions.
Competencies for Geriatric Physical Therapy By Course
Course: Physical Therapy Examination Skills for the Older Adult
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify clinical indications and other relevant information that prompts the physical therapist to perform a geriatric physical therapy examination.
2. Describe the process of a geriatric medical screening and how to establish relevant differential diagnoses by using in-depth interviews and data generated by systems reviews of older patients.
3. Based upon the culture, ages, and pathological conditions presented by the older adult, determine the appropriate geriatric physical therapy examination skills that include the tests, measures and data generated required for appropriate diagnosis and intervention.
4. Interpret data gathered from a geriatric examination and synthesize the information to formulate a clinical diagnosis and prognosis to guide future management of the older adult.
5. Establish a collaborative, realistic, and culturally competent geriatric physical therapy plan of care that is safe, effective and patient/client-centered.
6. Generate time-specific patient/client goals and outcomes within available resources and manage a geriatric plan of care that is consistent with legal, ethical, professional and administrative policies and procedures of the practice environment.
7. Provide augmentation and adjustments to the plan of care in response to the geriatric patient/client.
Course: Physical Therapy Intervention Skills for the Older Adult
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify system impairments and clinical findings that affect the selection of physical therapy interventions for the older adult.
2. Examine the impact of normal vs. pathological aging, gender and ethnicity on pathophysiology of medical conditions affecting the older adult and the management of the geriatric impairments commonly seen by physical therapist.
3. Review current evidence-based physical therapy interventions for their efficacy and effectiveness in caring for older adults.
4. Demonstrate cultural sensitivity when providing the following physical therapy interventions for the older adult:
- Coordination, communication and documentation
- Patient/client-related instruction
- Direct procedural interventions
5. Identify the collaborative role of the geriatric physical therapist in prevention services and the promotion of exercise, health education, wellness and fitness by establishing and implementing interdisciplinary and community-based programs.
6. Address risk factors and behaviors that may impede optimal functioning using the best evidence and epidemiological principles.
7. Utilize appropriate teaching methods and physical therapy instruction that are commensurate with the needs of the older adult learner.
Course: Geropharmacotherapeutics
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify which pharmacologic agents and devices can most effectively be used to prevent and manage common impairments in older adults.
2. Interview older adults effectively regarding their use of prescription, OTC, and complementary and alternative medications.
3. Describe the effects of medications on function, rehabilitation and exercise in older adults.
4. Relate the basic principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, along with physiology and information to dosing schedules, therapeutic effects, specific problems and adverse reactions to older adult function.
5. Illustrate what techniques can be used to most effectively monitor medication management and describe how mismanagement affects functional status.
6. Discuss the use of over-the-counter preparations and medications, prescriptive regimens, and self-medication and how they affect optimal functioning in older adults.
7. Describe how the use of herbs, vitamins and nutraceuticals whether through a medical regimen or self-application affect rehabilitation, exercise and functional status for older adults.
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