Member Resources from the Section on Geriatrics

• Kypholordosis Measurement Instructional Video: available to all, but discounted to Section Members!
  • Physical therapy interventions for treatment of impaired spinal posture need to be determined through the use of evidence-based evaluation procedures. Utilization of the flexible curve procedure is an efficient and cost effective method for obtaining valid and reproducible objective measurements of individuals with kypholordosis.  This CD will present the rationale, measurement process, and 4 different patient examples of kypholordosis measurement using a flexible curve. 
  • For more details, visit our Osteoporosis SIG page.
    
    
• Consumer Brochures
  • These brochures for consumers have been developed for Section Members by the Section's Task Force on Promoting PTs as Exercise Experts.  We encourage you to download, copy, and use at health fairs and community events!  You can have these printed in color, or just copy them on a regular copier.  Using a heavier card-stock and/or glossy paper is a nice touch. 

  Consumer Brochure- Exercise
  Consumer Brochure- Diabetes
  Consumer Brochure- Osteoporosis

• Section on Geriatrics 2008 Member's Meeting Minutes
  • Keep up-to-date on what is going on with the Section on Geriatrics by reviewing the minutes of the most recent member's meeting that includes SIG updates, Board reports, PT-PAC presentation notes, and much, much more.
    
    2008 Member Meeting Minutes
    
  
  
• Exercise Recommendations for Older Adults

• These recommendations are based on the best available scientific evidence and consensus from experts in their respective professions including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Geriatrics Society, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and from the National Institutes of Health- the National Institute on Aging. These recommendations provide the framework for prescribing specific exercises by listing the key elements of exercise prescription (frequency, intensity, duration, volume). Physical therapists should use these recommendations as a starting place to design optimal and safe exercise programs.

Exercise Recommendations for Older Adults

• Article and Sample Letter: Physical Therapists as Grassroots Advocates through Aging Organizations

  • PTs and PTAs who make contact with non-profit organizations, local press, and governmental associations are making a huge difference in getting physical therapy recognized and included in consumer resources, news stories, etc.  We've made it easy for you to get involved: click here to read more!
       
    
• Suggested Edits to Templates in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice
  • The Section on Geriatrics Exercise Task Force has suggested edits for templates in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.  The intent of these edits is to make the history-related questions for aging adults more informative. 

  Suggested Edits to the Guide

• For Section Members only: Consumer PowerPoint Presentations
  • Section members may download the following PowerPoint presentations and use them to give community awareness presentations. You may want to also use the Section's Consumer Brochures, or the APTA's Consumer Brochures, to hand out when you make your presentation.
    • From Frail to Fun (developed by the Section's Exercise Task Force) Link
    • So you Want to Begin Exercising. . . (developed by the Section's Exercise Task Force) Link
    • Staying Vertical: Balance and Falls Reduction (developed by the Balance and Falls Special Interest Group) Link
    • Osteoporosis: What you should know (developed by the Osteoporosis Special Interest Group) Link
    • Physical Activity: A key to wellness and successful aging (developed by the Health Promotion and Wellness Special Interest Group) Link
• Brochure for PT & PTA Students: Why Practice Geriatric PT?
  • Students, professors, and anyone else who works with PT and PTA students is encouraged to print and distribute this flier to PT and PTA Students.  Click here for the brochure. 
  • Also, APTA has created a special website for new professionals, meant for PTs and PTAs in their first five years of practice.  Feel free to encourage new professionals and graduating students to use the resources there: from www.apta.org they should click on "Membership and Leadership."
• Electronic Newsletters
  • The Section on Geriatrics sends out periodic newsletters via e-mail to all Section members who have an e-mail address in the APTA database, and who allow us to contact them via e-mail.  (To manage your APTA e-mail preferences or update your e-mail address, click "My APTA" at www.apta.org.) 
    • January 2007
    • February 2007
    • March 2007
    • June 2007
    • August 2007
    • September 2007
• Links to Outside Organizations
  • Section on Geriatrics members may click here to view a collection of links put together by other gerontology practitioners.  Not a member?  Read about joining our Section by clicking on "About Us" above!  
• Section on Geriatrics Home Study, Online, and Regional Courses
  • Click Here

Gerontology Resources from APTA

 

• Clinical Skills Performance Evaluation Tools for Physical Therapists – Geriatric
  • Based on the Description of Advanced Clinical Practice (DACP) in this area of specialty. Provides a summary form and a method for developing an action plan based on the evaluation results.
  • Order from APTA
• Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, Revised 2nd Edition
  • The result of input and collaboration among hundreds of physical therapists, the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, Second Edition, clearly defines scope of practice; guides patterns of practice; improves quality of care; promotes appropriate use of health care services; and explains physical therapist practice to insurers, policymakers, and other health care professionals. The Guide continues to be an essential resource for both daily practice and professional education.
  • New for 2003: This second edition of the Guide has been revised to be more consistent in content and format with the Interactive Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, With Catalog of Tests and Measures, Version 1.1 on CD.
  • The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, Second Edition, features:
    • A detailed description of the scope of physical therapist practice.
    • Tests and measures and interventions sections with expanded clinical indications, examples of tests and measures and data generated.
    • Examples in all sections to assist the user in examination and intervention.
    • Preferred practice patterns grouped into four major areas: musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular and pulmonary, and integumentary.
    • Tests and measures and interventions relevant to each pattern clarified.
  • Order the Guide to PT Practice from APTA
• Self-Assessment Tools for Physical Therapists – Geriatric
  • Designed to help you identify discrepancies between your current and desired levels of practice in any of the seven specialty areas. Once you've assessed your practice level, you can map out your plan for continuing education and professional development. If you're considering applying for specialist certification, use the Self-Assessment Tools to determine your readiness. Each self-assessment instrument includes suggestions for follow-up and development of an action plan. Help yourself with Self-Assessment Tools for Physical Therapists today!
  • Order from APTA