Authors

  1. Lewis, Carole B. Phd, MSG, MPA, PT, GCS

Article Content

The subject of this issue of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation is of particular interest to me. The mobility portion has been a focus of my work for years. So much so, that I wrote a book on the topic for rehabilitation professionals.1 This book was designed to instruct rehabilitation professionals who had little prior knowledge or experience in looking at mobility. Unfortunately, I do think this area is not addressed in a comprehensive fashion in many of our schools. When a therapist arrives in the real world of patients who are unable to get out of bed or traverse a crosswalk in a safe time period, the therapist may not know how to assess or what to treat. This issue takes a new and fresh look at some very important mobility issues and examines ways of assessing and treating these deficits in a real fashion.

 

The second subject of driving is something I experience daily as I leave my office midday and get to the suburbs. There I might find myself behind a car that looks like it has no driver and is cruising the 45 mile per hour (mph) street at the blasting speed of 22 mph. I know many jokes and comments are made about this situation, but many are concerned about safety for the driver and the community. The recent newsworthy article of the older gentleman in Santa Monica, Calif, who killed persons because of his poor driving is a fact in point. So who should take the lead in this area? Therapists who are trained in this area (who can provide extremely valuable information to the driver, the family, and the community) should be the leaders. This issue has all the useful information that therapists need to be able to assess and treat these problems.

 

A concern for me in particular is being part of the group I shall now name: the baby boomers. Baby boomers will want to stay mobile and drive. They will need help to do this. We as a rehabilitation team must be highly versed in what is available in these areas. This issue is written for that very reason.

 

I thank Dr Mann and all of the outstanding authors who contributed to this issue. The information is desperately needed in a compendium for further educational development of occupational and physical therapists. Who better to be the experts in this extremely important area of function? Thanks for doing such a wonderful job.

 

Carole B. Lewis, Phd, MSG, MPA, PT, GCS

 

President, Premier Therapy, Inc., Washington, DC, Editor

 

REFERENCE

 

1. Lewis C. Improving Mobility in Older Persons. Akron, Ohio: GREAT Seminars and Books Inc; 2004. [Context Link]