Establishing appropriate and realistic goals and expected outcomes for patients with a declining functional status can be challenging – knowing that the ultimate trajectory of function is expected to be downward. A new APTA podcast series addresses the challenges of and suggests solutions for managing the care of these patients, who may have conditions such as Parkinson disease, muscular sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, or late-stage congestive heart failure.

The first podcast begins with general functional status and safety examples. In upcoming podcasts physical therapists will share their experiences in applying these principles to specific patients with conditions that are characterized by a declining functional status.