Geriatric Certified Specialists take physical therapy one step further.
In an effort to best serve Maine’s aging population, several of our physical therapists have achieved Geriatric Certified Specialist certification, a designation bestowed by the American Physical Therapy Association. It is a certification process for physical therapists committed to providing the best care to patients aged 65 and older, who are chronically ill or, who are healthy but require treatment for an incident.
Geriatric Certified Specialists focus on the specific needs of the geriatric patient population, rather than applying general treatment programs typically best suited for younger adults. Northern Light has more Geriatric Certified Specialists than anyone in all of Maine. We expect more of our therapists to join in this certification following a lengthy and rigorous educational training.
We’ll look to our Geriatric Certified Specialists for facilitating innovation in establishing specific care programs and pathways relating to geriatrics, including orthopedic/joint replacement, osteoporosis, balance and falls programming, congestive heart failure, Parkinson’s Disease, and other diseases that impair function.
Northern Light anticipates that Geriatric Certified Specialists will note greater improvement with their patients. Under their care, patients will be approached with a deeper level of understanding and insight into their personal needs. These skills will become even more essential to meet the complex issues that will arise as our community ages.