Course Description:

Do you want to better understand how medications affect a person’s health and ability to function? The Geriatric 5M’s include Medication, Mind, Mobility, Multi-complexity and Matters Most making it easier to address the issues facing older adults. Current best practice in geriatric physical therapy includes the 5M’s framework in the patient/client management model where each M is specifically addressed individually and how all the M’s interact with each other. Medications have both positive and negative effects which influence mobility, and the mind. By integrating the Medication M into practice, patient safety may be optimized, function improved, and better outcomes achieved. Many medications increase the risk of falling by causing dizziness, orthostatic hypotension or delirium; or enhance or interfere with ADL and IADL function. Addressing the Medication M, therapists have the greatest opportunity to improve function when interfering medications are identified and addressed.

The purpose of this seminar is to provide participants with the information required to incorporate pharmacology and medication management into practice with the older adult. Therapists across the acute care and post-acute care continuum are accountable for patient safety inclusive of medication effects on physical function. Multi-complexity addresses the challenges of multiple health conditions many older adults have that are co-occurring and make interventions more challenging. The seminar format includes interactive lecture; small group discussion; incorporating video and case scenarios to demonstrate medication assessment, management and education. Participants will translate pharmacology knowledge into practice to effectively assess and treat patients while maintaining patient safety. Participants will learn techniques to help monitor patients for intended effects, untoward effects, and side effects to assist with safe medication use, and reduce hospitalizations related to adverse drug events. Evidence-based resources including the Beers Criteria and communication tools such as CUS will be provided to participants engage in crucial conversations with the patient and the healthcare team to improve safe medication use. The course manual is comprehensive including both print and electronic resources for uses immediately in practice. The participant will take home quick examination tools to identify pharmacology issues in minutes.

Faculty Bio
Kenneth L Miller, PT, DPT, PhD, FNAP, GCS, CEEAA is a board-certified geriatric clinical specialist, advanced credentialed exercise expert for aging adults and credentialed clinical instructor from APTA. He has over 29 years of clinical practice with older adults. Dr. Miller is an assistant professor and Geriatric Residency Director at the Medical University of South Carolina. His clinical focus is on best practices for use with the older adult population. He has spoken nationally and internationally on topics of gerontology including primary prevention, frailty, outcome measures and pharmacology.
Dr. Miller serves on several editorial boards related to geriatric care and physical therapy education. He serves the physical therapy profession on the Board of Directors for the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy and has helped to develop the best practice guidelines for the academy along with translating the Geriatric 5M’s into physical therapist practice. Lastly, he co-edited the Ciccone’s Pharmacology in Rehabilitation 5th edition textbook update.