Fall Prevention

Fall Prevention is an outpatient service offered by our Physical and Occupational Therapists that provides comprehensive fall risk assessment and treatment for patients who have fallen or who are at risk for falling.

Falls are not a normal part of aging. Falls can get more serious over time, but the risks can be reduced by working on all the possible causes. We should be able to help you to avoid falls.

Our fall prevention assessment can help you prevent falls by:

Helping improve your physical condition to be as fit as possible, and also learn how to compensate for conditions that cannot be improved. We can help you reduce risks at home by using a home safety check-list.

What Happens at the Assessment

• First you will have an initial assessment with licensed professionals – a physical therapist and an occupational therapist.
• We will ask about previous falls and will try to determine what might be causing your falls.
• We will take your medical history and conduct a physical exam.
• We will also assess your gait, balance, range of motion, strength, sensation, vision, cognitive ability, and medication use.

We will also ask about your home environment, your fear of falling, and whether you have dizziness or vertigo.  On occasion, a home safety assessment will be offered to be done at a later date at your home.

We will evaluate all your information and make recommendations for treatment, if needed.

Please bring the following to your assessment:

1. Please bring a list of your current medications or your most recent prescription printout with you.
2. Please wear or bring the shoes you wear most often at home and in the community. Bring the devices you use for walking – such as a cane or walker.
3. You may want to bring a snack with you.
4. You should plan on spending about 2 hours with us for the total assessment.

What happens After Your Assessment

Our therapists will determine whether you are in need of assistance. If so, a treatment plan will be developed with you and your family. We will send a copy to your primary care physician, and any other doctor that you would like to receive our recommendations.

Insurance Coverage

Fall Risk Assessments are covered by Medicare and most other insurance carriers. We can help you to identify insurance coverage before your appointment. Please ask us about any concerns when you make your appointment.

Fall Prevention Resources

• National Institute on Aging (www.nia.nih.gov)
• Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov)
• Consumer Products Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov)
• National Falls Prevention Resource Center (www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/falls-resource-center)

Our Fall Prevention Specialists

All of our Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists are trained in Fall Prevention.