“Healthy ageing: preventing falls and frailty”, is the theme for the 2025 edition of world physiotherapy day celebration. This year was no exception for physiotherapist and other clinicians in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) to launch a campaign, on the essence of physiotherapy care.
At a special event organized to commemorate the day, the Head of Department in the hospital, Dr. I.M. Ibom described the day as significant, while acknowledging the role of physiotherapist in helping the elderly maintain good health and mobility. He called for the continued support and care for the elderly in the hospital and society in general, noting that every person will grow one day to become elderly.
Dr Ibom encourages physiotherapists to continue discharging their enormous task for the elderly, with diligence. Offering health advice on balance training, Mobility aids, and lifestyle modifications, to maintain strength and mobility.
He advised the elderly to follow prescribed exercise from physiotherapist because they are trained professionally to know the appropriate exercise that will aid healthy living and mobility
In his lecture, on Healthy Ageing; Frailty Signs in Older Adults, Dr Anyama Ernest listed less activity, exhaustion, weakness, and weight loss as some of the challenges faced by the elderly. He enumerated factors that can cause falls to include drop attack, dizziness, trips and slips and listed preventive measures to include regular exercise, getting vision and hearing checked.
The Keynote lecture was delivered by a consultant Geriatrician and head of Care of Elderly Persons Unit (CEPU), Prof.Hope Ilanye Bell-Gam who
highlighted healthy living, ageing, falls, and mortality in older persons with emphasis on physical exercise by adults, which, according to her, cannot be overemphasized.
The event featured partners such as pharmaceutical companies that had the opportunity to give insights on clinical products for proscription that can help patients needing physiotherapy care .
The management team was led by the chairman medical advisory committee (CMAC), Professor Datonye Alasia, who in his good will message congratulated the physiotherapy department for organizing the event, and encouraged them to continue on their good work, as the hospital continues to build on excellent medical care.
