Balance School

by Tom LeBlanc, PT

Reducing fall risks for the elderly is vital because falls are dangerous. In a recent article, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons outlined some of the reasons why hip fractures are very serious.

•     Over 90 percent of the 350,000 hip fractures that occur annually in the United States are the direct result of a fall.

•     Only 25 percent of hip-fracture patients will make a full recovery; 40 percent will require nursing home care; 50 percent will need a cane or walker; and 24 percent of those over age 50 will die within 12 months.

•     Nearly one-in-four hip-fracture patients will die within 12 months after the injury because of complications related to the injury and the recovery period.

•     The cost of hip-fracture care averages $33,000 per patient.

•     The rate of hip fractures increases after age 50, and it doubles every 5 to 6 years, thereafter.

The Transition Home Balance School is designed to reduce fall risks among the elderly. Our program consists of the following:

1.     An initial balance evaluation, to establish a baseline score, for each resident.

2.     Periodic balance evaluations and fall risk tests, to determine rates and levels of improvement, for each resident.

3.     Individualized training for each resident that includes various balance-stimulating exercises and activities.

4.     Training to improve sensory motor skills.

5.     Periodic status reports to the attending physicians.

Transition Home Balance School trainees will reside at Transition Home for the duration of a 30-day to 60-day program. Because the State of Oregon licenses us, as an adult foster home, we are able to manage medications for our residents who require them.

The benefits include a safe environment in which to live while working toward improved levels of gait coordination and balance stability, and a healthy diet of home-cooked meals.

Transition Home Balance School is designed for adults who have demonstrated high fall risks but have not yet sustained serious injuries as a result of falling. Entry into Balance School must be ordered by the resident’s attending physician.

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