Workshops
Staying Vertical
About the Staying Vertical Falls Prevention Workshop
Falls prevention is one of the fastest growing areas of geriatric health in the new millennium. An aging population has increased the need for research into maintaining mobility whist minimizing the risk of musculoskeletal injury. In collaboration with South Eastern Sydney & Illawarra Area health this workshop was developed to aid the fitness leaders already delivering exercise interventions for senior populations. This workshop explores evidence based research which promotes balance exercise as a fall prevention strategy.
The aims of the course for Fitness Leaders
To be able to plan and deliver an exercise program for frailer older people, which will safely and effectively improve their physical function, and in particular their postural stability, in order to reduce their risk of falls.
To support this practice with relevant background knowledge of
- The causes and consequences of falls and fall-related injuries
- The evidence relating to physical activity, falls and fall-related injuries
- The medical conditions and medications likely to be encountered
- The adaptations to practice, programming and supervision of falls and injury prevention sessions
The course will enable candidates to
- Provide safe, effective, enjoyable exercise programs
- Provide graded transitions between the primary care and community leisure settings
- Build on the functional gains achieved through physiotherapy and occupational therapy
- Provide support to physiotherapists working in the clinical and community setting
- Provide on-going assessment of health and functional capacity
- Provide social opportunities to increase long-term commitment to exercise
This one day workshop delivered by exercise physiologist Luke Delvecchio builds on the competencies gained in the first staying vertical workshop, and aims to deliver more advanced balance training exercises and activities for people over the age of 55 years.
Specifically this workshop will enable participants to
- Screen and evaluate the multiple dimension s of balance and mobility
- Interpret test results and identify underlying impairments
- Develop a set of exercise progressions designed to improve centre of gravity control in seated, standing and moving situations
- Develop basic routines to enhance floor to standing mobility
- Understand how each of the three sensory systems contributes to postural control in different sensory environments
- Assess the locomotive power of an elderly individual