What is the In Balance fall prevention program?

In Balance is a fall prevention program launched by United Health Services' Twin Tier Home Health.  This interdisciplinary initiative seeks to reduce the incidence of falling and falling-related injuries for seniors and others at risk.

As we age, many people feel unsteady when walking due to changes in physical ability such as vision, hearing, sensation, and balance. People with weakness or range of motion problems in their legs, ankles or feet can be at greater risk of falling, as are those with mental impairment, neurological disorders, cardiovascular or Parkinson’s disease, arthritis and even urinary tract infections.  Medication often plays a role in falls as does poor nutrition.  Also, a person’s environment may be designed or arranged in a way that increases the likelihood of falling.

Recovering from a fall

In many cases, those who have experienced a fall have a hard time recovering and their overall health deteriorates.  In Balance aims to break this cycle.

Once an individual has been referred to the In Balance program, a physical therapist from Twin Tier will visit the patient and perform a comprehensive assessment.  Then, working in concert with patients and their caregivers and support system, In Balance uses a holistic approach to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses each patient’s needs.  Interdisciplinary in nature, the program’s treatment team at Twin Tier may include occupational therapists, nurses, dietitians and others in addition to the physical therapist.

Treatment plans may include a variety of interventions such as medication monitoring, suggestions on improving or modifying the patient’s physical environment, home exercise programs incorporating Tai Chi and other activities to improve balance and reflex, counseling to address psychosocial and financial issues, educational materials to enhance patient learning and support long-term benefits, and much more.  If home medical equipment or other services are required, the team works with patients and their family and physician to address the need.

Physicians and other providers whose patients have a history of falls are in the best position to recommend the In Balance program.

For more information about In Balance, call Twin Tier Home Health at 607.763.8946 or 800.295.2212.

Twin Tier Home Health, located at 4401 Vestal Parkway East in Vestal, is Medicare certified and licensed by the New York State Department of Health. It is the only local home health agency to be named to the Home Health Elite 500 list of the most successful Medicare-certified home health care providers in the United States.