Geri Final: Balance & Falls

Question 1

Falls: intrinsic risk factors

Answer 1

• inside the individual
• medical conditions
• vision and hearing
• changes related to aging

Question 2

Falls: extrinsic risk factors

Answer 2

• hazards in the environment, not using AD correctly
• meds
• hazards in the environment
• improper use of assistive device

Question 3

Falls: role of OT

Answer 3

• falls are multifactorial
• interaction-individual and environment
• address fear of falling
• address risk factors (intrinsic vs extrinsic)

Question 4

Falls: interventions

Answer 4

• often falls occur b/c of more than one etiology
• exercise
• assistive devices and adaptive devices
• fear of falling (ID fear, how to offset fear)
• balance
• environment and community: prevention and intervention
• others (i.e. urinary incontinence)
• multifactorial interventions help to reduce fall risk

Question 5

Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool

Answer 5

• endurance
• cognition
• functional mobility
• YES assistive device (walker, max score of 26 with AD)
• 10 to 15 minutes
• chair without arms
• hard chair seat
• clear area
• total score = balance + gait score

Question 6

The Modified Falls Efficacy Scale

Answer 6

• cognition
• gross motor
• some level of insight
• YES assistive device (can also think about it as they would use AD)
• 5 to 10 minutes
• checklist
• greater than 70 = fear of falling
• fear of falling = risk for falls

Question 7

Berg Balance Scale

Answer 7

• requires HIGHEST level of functioning
• gross motor
• dynamic sitting and standing balance
• high level of balance
• NO assistive device
• 15 to 20 minutes
• stopwatch, chair with armrests, chair without armrests, pen, shoe/slipper, step stool
• 0 = more assist
• 4 = less assist
• up to 56 points total
• can be helped by another person for transfer portion

Question 8

Functional Reach Test/Modified Functional Reach

Answer 8

• ROM
• at least 90 degrees of shoulder flexion
• trunk control
• NO assistive device
• 5 to 10 minutes
• yardstick
• tape
• chair (modified version)
• 3 trials done, take the avg of the last 2 trials
• less than 6= high fall risk
• measure reach distance
• 15 second rest break is allowed between trials

Question 9

30 Second Chair Stand

Answer 9

• cognition
• weight bearing status
• leg strength
• endurance
• trunk control
• NO assistive device
• 30 seconds (5 min with setup)
• straight back chair (17” high)
• stopwatch
• count # of times the pt stands in 30 seconds
• compare to avg age scores
• count partial stand for last time
• below norm for age = high fall risk
• if pt uses arms to stand, stop test and record 0 for score

Question 10

Timed Up and Go Test (TUG)

Answer 10

• gait
• balance
• speed
• community mobility
• can follow change over time
• endurance
• vision
• YES assistive device
• 10 secs to 2 minutes
• 5 to 10 minutes
• arm chair
• tape measure
• tape
• stopwatch
• compare to norms related to dx and function
• based on amount of seconds to go from seated to stand
• above 14 = fall risk
• may stop and rest but CANNOT sit