(May 26, 2011) Sellersville, PA - When ordinary movements like rising, bending, or turning cause dizziness or vertigo, it may be a sign something is wrong with the complex inner-ear system that controls balance known as the vestibular system. Dizziness is the most common complaint reported to physicians by people age 75 and older. Two-thirds of those with disequilibrium experience at least one fall annually and many will sustain an injury requiring medical care.

To help adult children of aging parents learn about imbalance and dizziness and how to manage it, vestibular therapist Miriam Kozak of Grand View Hospital Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation will present Vestibular (Balance) Therapy at a conference hosted by Grand View Hospital on June 11, at Peter Becker Community’s Maple Estates in Harleysville.

Grand View staff and physicians will address a variety of health and safety topics at Supporting Your Aging Parent to Stay Healthy and Independent: An Event for Adult Children and the Parents They Love. Tours of Peter Becker’s Maple Estates are available following the program. Everyone is invited to attend the keynote lecture on Successful Aging presented by internal medicine physician Jeffrey Thatcher, MD, Tri-Valley Primary Care. He will discuss what is a normal part of aging and what may be a sign that something is wrong and needs medical attention. Other program sessions include the following:

• Planning for the Future, presented by licensed clinical social worker Barbara Kimball. Learn how to begin a conversation about medical, legal, and emotional issues related to aging. Know when an independent senior may need support and assistance.
• The Heart/Brain Connection, presented by Grand View Stroke Program Coordinator Denise Kistler, RN. Discover the link between heart disease and stroke. Learn about signs and symptoms, stroke risk factors, and how to prevent one.
• Diabetic Medication Management, presented by Grand View certified diabetes educator Carol Knauff, RN. Confused by the array of diabetes medications? Concerned about the possibility of lowering blood sugar too far? Come with questions and leave with an understanding of diabetic medications and their proper use.
• Wound Care, presented by Grand View Wound Care Center Director, Dawn Wilkes, MD. Find out how to prevent and treat problem wounds and the conditions that cause them
• Safety and Fall Prevention, presented by Grand View physical therapist Sarah Baker of Home Care. Falls are the leading cause of death due to injury for those age 65 and older. Most falls are preventable. Learn how to eliminate common home safety hazards and about installing safety and mobility aids.
• Living Arrangement Options, presented by Peter Becker Community President/CEO Carol Berster. Learn about living options and the various levels of care to consider when living alone in one’s home is no longer safe or practical.
• Advance Directives, presented by Grand View Risk Manager Nancy Runta, MSN, RN. Do you know what kind of care your parents would want if unable to speak for themselves? Learn about planning ahead with advance directives, which outline one’s wishes for medical care in a living will.
• Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia, presented by neurologist Xin Wang, MD, Penn Neurologic Associates. Memory loss is not a normal sign of aging. Discover the difference between simple forgetfulness and memory issues indicating a possible underlying health condition. Learn about resources to evaluate and treat memory loss.

The cost of the program is $15 each or $25 for two. Continental breakfast is included. Doors open at 8:30 am. Registration is required. To register or for more information, call the Grand View Information Line at 215-453-4300 or register online at www.gvh.org.

Grand View Hospital is named among the best hospitals in the Philadelphia Metro area by U.S. News & World Report, and is recognized as “High Performing” in geriatrics and orthopaedics. Grand View is also the only hospital in Bucks and Montgomery Counties to receive a five-star quality rating in total joint replacement from HealthGrades®, the nation’s leading health care ratings company. The American Stroke Association awarded Grand View Hospital its Get with the GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Gold Performance Achievement Award.

Grand View Hospital, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties with comprehensive health care services since 1913. Grand View offers a range of inpatient and outpatient care – particularly emphasizing the areas of surgery and orthopaedics, women’s and children's health, heart and vascular care, and cancer treatment. For more information about Grand View Hospital services and programs, please call the Grand View Information Line at 215-453-4300 or visit www.gvh.org.