Due to the changes in functional ability of patients with Parkinson’s Disease, safely transferring up off the floor can be very challenging for both the patient and caregiver.

Ed and Elizabeth Deboo, Physical Therapists, discuss what to look for if someone has fallen, when to call for emergency help, and different strategies for safe transfers. At the end of the video, there are links to balance, strengthening, and coordination exercises that we should all be doing.

If someone has fallen, you must first determine the extent of the injury. Did they hit their head, is there bleeding, any obvious signs of fracture or dislocation, are they confused or in shock, can they answer simple one step commands, and are they in high levels of pain are just a few questions that need to me asked.

As the caregiver, you need to be careful to correctly position yourself to minimize your chance of injury. The key is to plan ahead of time and practice floor transfers when you are not in a crisis situation.

Please leave any questions in the comment section below and we will try to answer them, thanks for watching, Ed and Elizabeth Deboo, PT’s.