Falls:  Prevention, Assessment and Intervention

Date:  Friday, November 10, 2017 

Time:  8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Registration starts at 7:45 a.m.

Location:  The Forum and Carle, 611 West Park Street, Urbana

This one day conference will address salient topics in fall prevention, assessment and intervention with a focus on the most current research and its applicability to practice. Upon completion of this program, you should be able to:

• Describe various fall prevention ideas that have been shown to be effective in decreasing fall risk
• Identify and select the most effective and efficient screening and assessment strategies and instruments that can guide intervention
• Recognize specific effects medication use has on incidence of falls and action steps needed to reduce fall risks
• Recognize specific fall risk outcomes and possible interventions due to cognitive functional status
• Describe considerations in minimizing falls when assistive devices or wheelchairs are in use
• Identify select technology for fall prevention and intervention

Faculty:

Sherri All, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in neuropsychology, cognitive rehabilitation and brain health.  She owns the Chicago Center for Cognitive Wellness, a group neuropsychology practice offering assessment and treatment services for people affected by cognitive issues with locations in Evanston and Chicago.  In addition to running her practice, Dr. All has developed programs for training providers cognitive rehabilitation skills and educating the public on brain healthy behaviors.  She is also working to open a holistic wellness center for people with mild cognitive declines and their families.  She is a leader in the field of brain health and coach’s individuals on ways to lower their personal risk for dementia, earning the attention of media outlets including The New Yorker and Crain’s Chicago Business.

Alka Bishnoi, PT, MS is a first year PhD student in the Motor Control Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is an active member of the Illini Fall Prevention Clinic.  She is a research based physical therapist interested in the development and testing of fall prevention strategies.  Her research area bridges the domains of clinical rehabilitation, motor learning, and biomechanics. 

Helen Lach, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN is a Professor at Saint Louis University School of Nursing.  She has specialized in the care of older adults for over 25 years.  Her research has focused on falls in older people, and the related issue of fear of falling.  Through local and national presentations, publications, and activities, with the Show Me Falls Free Missouri Coalition, she has worked to improve health for the growing aging population.  She has received numerous awards and honors for her professional contributions to research, education, and community services.

Laura A. Rice, PhD, MPT, ATP is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Her research focuses on management of secondary impairments associated with physical disabilities.  Recently, Dr. Rice has focused on the development of intervention studies to manage fall risk among wheeled mobility device users living with a variety of disabilities.  In addition to her research interests, Dr. Rice remains active as a Physical Therapist seeing clients for wheelchair and seating needs.  She received her PhD in Rehabilitation Science and Technology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010 and a MS in Physical Therapy and BS in Health Sciences from Duquesne University. 

Jacob Sosnoff, PhD is an Associate Professor and Director of the Motor Control Research Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health of the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign.  His professional background and training are in motor control and gerontology.  He earned his PhD in kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University where he was a National Institute of Aging pre-doctoral fellow.  Professor Sosnoff’s current research focuses on walking, mobility, and balance impairments.  For over a decade, he has worked on understanding underlying mechanisms that influence balance and mobility.  As a founding member of the International Multiple Sclerosis Falls Prevention Research Network, he is an international expert in the predictors, prevention, and consequences of falls.  Currently, he has several randomized control trials designed to minimize fall risk and incidence and several other funded projects that involve fall-related outcomes.  He is also the founding director of the Illini Fall Prevention Clinic, a community resource for identifying people’s individualized fall risks and developing personalized strategies to reduce those risks.

Ruopeng (Robin) Sun, PhD is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Motor Control Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  His research interests are:  novel technology in fall prevention and screening, gait adaptability in complex locomotion task, and cognitive motor interference in daily locomotion.

Tyler Wood, ATC is currently a third-year PhD student in the Motor Control Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He has done fall risk and fall prevention research, long with fall prevention community outreach.  Tyler is currently the lead trainer of the Illini Fall Prevention Clinic and over the past year has worked to assess over 100 individuals and educate them on fall risk and fall prevention.

Alex Rhema Zachariah, MD is a highly trained clinical, educator, published author, and administrator with decades of experience.  Dr. Zachariah has been a former Medical Director, Chief Administrator, and Dean in numerous medical centers and medical schools respectively.  His recently published books, Let’s Move Mindfully and Let’s Breathe Mindfully, have received broad acceptance in practice.  Several research studies have been completed and others are in progress on the constructs of “rhemerize” in the publications.  In addition, Dr. Zachariah has received numerous international attention for his work and continue to consult to WHO.

Conflict of Interest Policy Statement:   Faculty participating in this program are expected to disclose to the program audience any real or apparent conflict(s) or unlabeled use related to the content of their presentations.