The Need for Physical Therapy and Why it’s a Rewarding Career

physical therapy

Many ask “Is physical therapy a good career?” The answer is “yes” and it’s both rewarding and necessary, and it’s a growing field with a lot of opportunity. Physical therapy can benefit individuals in numerous ways. Recovering from surgery and injuries, improving mobility, reducing pain, and stroke recovery can be some of the many reasons…

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New Study Suggests Alzheimer’s May Be an Autoimmune Disease

alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease has been known as a disease of the brain. However, McKnight’s reports that recent research suggests otherwise. Alzheimer’s may be a result of an autoimmune disease. The study was conducted at the University of Toronto by Donald F. Weaver of Krembil Research Institute. Research included study of patent and journal literatures through various…

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Care Providers Asked to Understand Fall Risk Factors Associated with Cardiovascular Disease

fall risk factors

The American Heart Association recently released a statement in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes claiming clinicians underestimate the risk of falls in individuals who have cardiovascular disease despite this population having an increased risk because of their diagnosis, reports McKnight’s. According to collected data, adults with cardiovascular disease have a 40 to 60 percent chance…

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LED Lighting Decreases Falls by 43 Percent, a Study

LED Lighting

Researchers from Harvard University and Midwest Lighting Institute recently conducted a study to better understand the correlation between falls, lighting and natural sleep and wake rhythm patterns. McKnight’s reports that in the two skilled nursing facilities where these studies were conducted, falls fell by 43 percent after the introduction of a dynamic lighting program. In…

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Prolonged Loneliness Associated with Loss of Memory Function

Long-term loneliness can negatively impact memory according to a study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia. McKnight’s reports that over the course of time loneliness can be considered as a risk factor in older adults for rapid memory decline. In the Health and Retirement Study, data from over 9,000 individuals ages 50 and over were analyzed…

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Clinician-Patient Engagement Reduces Risk of Falls

A recently conducted studied aimed to understand the interactions between patients and clinicians in a falls prevention program. McKnight’s reports that the Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders (STRIDE) program concluded that increased clinician-patient engagement can help prevent falls. The study included 2,400 participants among the older adult population. Less than half…

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Study Concludes Odds of Contracting COVID-19 Low in SNFs

Contrary to popular belief, a recent study concluded that patients who were transferred to skilled nursing facilities for post-acute care in 2020 had a low overall risk of COVID-19 infection and death. However, the rate of mortality was high for those who did contract the virus, reports McKnight’s. Researchers found that in 2020 about 31…

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Heart Conditions Increase Dementia Risk

A recent study has made new discoveries related to dementia. It was concluded that with a higher number of cardiometabolic conditions there is higher risk of cognitive decline, reports McKnight’s. Researchers believe that addressing these conditions can help lower the risk of dementia. David J. Llewellyn, Ph.D. and colleagues studied the diagnosis of dementia in…

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Diabetes More Prevalent on the East Coast

A recent study has discovered that the number of Americans living with long-term complications due to diabetes is the highest along the East Coast, reports McKnight’s. The study was conducted in Champaign, IL at Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Research also showed that large concentrations also exist in Texas and Florida. The West Coast also…

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