Solving the Balance Problem in Medically Complex Patients Across the Lifespan

With the recent shifts in healthcare management during the pandemic, the need for evidence-informed interventions for medically complex individuals has never been more essential. This population has historically been poorly managed by clinicians due to lack of confidence, limited knowledge, and misconceptions about individuals who present as medically frail. Because medical complexity is an umbrella term, the clinician must rely on the presenting symptoms within that diagnosis to direct their treatment efforts to meet the unique needs of each patient. While strides have been made in prescribing interventions to promote strength and physical activity, limited progress has been made with encouraging appropriate balance and falls management. This interactive session, led by the chairs of the Tri-Alliance Team of Geriatric, Neurology, and Oncology Balance and Falls Special Interest Groups, will dive into the intricacies of evidence-informed balance and falls management within medically complex patients from the acute to chronic stages. The audience will gain a new perspective of the important role of the physical therapist as part of the interdisciplinary team for management of the medically complex with an emphasis in balance prescription and falls prevention strategies from pediatrics to geriatrics, with special considerations for the neurologic and oncologic populations.