Webinar Description

Physical therapy for older adults must adapt to increasingly complex medical, psychosocial, and environmental challenges. While existing frameworks like the ICF and Patient/Client Management model provide structure, they often focus on impairment-based, restorative care and do not fully address prevention, individual priorities, or the broader factors influencing function and well-being. The Movement Framework for Older Adults (MFOA) addresses these gaps by offering a holistic, movement-centered approach grounded in the Geriatric 5Ms: Mind, Mobility, Medication, Multicomplexity, and what Matters Most. Developed by the APTA Academy of Geriatrics, the MFOA integrates movement with physiological, cognitive, psychosocial, and pharmacological considerations to support hypothesis-driven, person-centered clinical reasoning. This framework advances geriatric physical therapy by promoting comprehensive, individualized care aligned with the priorities and lived experiences of older adults.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the limitations of traditional physical therapy frameworks in addressing the complex needs of older adults.

  • Explain the core components of the Movement Framework for Older Adults (MFOA), including how the Geriatric 5Ms are integrated into movement assessment and intervention.

  • Apply the MFOA to support person-centered, hypothesis-driven clinical reasoning that aligns physical therapy care with what matters most to older adults.

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