Guest Blog: Real Patient Story: Fall Prevention for Bob

By Ethan Paster, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist at Therapy Partners Group

It’s 6:45 AM on a Monday morning. I’m reviewing my caseload for the day when I see that my first patient is Robert, “Bob” as he’s told me to call him – an 89-year-old retired electrical engineer from Boston. He’s newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has fallen twice in the last month. During his evaluation, Bob made it clear: he didn’t plan to attend the recommended six weeks of physical therapy. “I’ll just take your ideas and work on them at home,” he said. So now I ask myself:

How do I best help Bob? What exercises can I teach him to meaningfully reduce his risk of falling?

Squats? Step-ups? Burpees (a personal favorite of mine, though probably not his)? I love sled pushes—safe, powerful, and surprisingly motivating—but Bob can’t do those alone at home. So, what then?

As a physical therapist, my goal is to prevent the next fall, and that means building strength, balance, proprioception, and power. I also know that if Bob falls and breaks his hip, there is a more than 50% chance that he will not return to living at home.

That means the best exercise must be something safe, effective, and doable independently. But even the most clinically sound program means little if the patient won’t do it. When I asked Bob more about his preferences, I learned he’s a Korean War veteran. Turns out, he did thousands of burpees during basic training – and he’s vowed never to do one again. Message received.

So now the question shifts. It’s not just: What are the BEST exercises?

But rather:

• What will Bob actually do?
• What will keep him safe?
• What fits into his world?

These are the real questions physical therapists face every day. We blend exercise science, anatomy, neurophysiology, and human psychology. We meet people where they are, and we build from there.

And in Bob’s case, every rep could mean the difference between independence and institutional care, between another fall and another walk around the block.

Why the SAFE Act Matters

Stories like Bob’s highlight why access to physical therapy is essential, not optional. We work to keep patients safe, strong, and out of the hospital. That’s why I am joining my colleagues from across the country in urging lawmakers to support the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act (S. 2612/H.R. 1171) – to stabilize our practices, protect patient access, and prevent the very outcomes we work tirelessly to avoid.

Because for every Bob, every thoughtful question, and every early-morning session – we’re not just prescribing exercises. We’re preserving lives.

To take action and contact your lawmakers today, CLICK HERE.