APTA and you as a geriatric PT/PTA practitioner

Leadership Forum
1

As the soon-to-be APTA Geriatrics Chief Delegate, representing you in the APTA House of Delegates . . .
How connected are you to APTA as our mothership?
How well does APTA represent you and your practice?
Are there geriatric issues you’d like APTA and APTA membership to be more aware of?
Do you know what the House of Delegates is and how you can make your voice heard to your Section/Academy and Chapter delegates?

2

I honestly have little to know understanding of the House of Delegates and what their role is despite being heavily involved in APTA Geriatrics. Are there any user-friendly resources that give us the run down on what our HoD reps can do for us?

PS- LOL to “mothership”- I cannot think of a more perfect way to describe this!

3

Thanks Heidi for responding! I think you are far from alone in not knowing much about the APTA House of Delegates (HOD). I have found that many involved APTA Geriatrics members are connected more to their Academies and not so much to their state chapters. Academy/section delegates only became voting members in 2020, with many years of discussion of the Academy/section role as content experts.

Here is a link with info about the House of Delegates: APTA House of Delegates | APTA

The HOD is an APTA policy-making body comprised of voting state Chapter and Section/Academy delegates, non-voting delegates (Board of Directors, Assembly, and PTA caucus), and consultants. APTA Geriatrics, along with each of the Academies/Sections, have 2 votes to represent us. State chapters have a proportionate number of delegates to their membership, ranging from 2- 36 (think of the US House of Representatives in how states have reps proportionate to their population). There are a total of 440 voting delegates.

The HOD meets annually with a combination of virtual and in-person meetings. Delegates discuss, debate and make decisions on issues that may have far-reaching implications for the association and for the profession of physical therapy. Formal business of the House follows parliamentary procedure to pass motions, while lots of discussion happens online (via “The Hub” at https://communities.apta.org/p/co/ly/gid=16 and informally in person. Another very important role of a delegate is electing the APTA Board of Directors, who lead our national organization.

Some issues that passed in the 2022 House of Delegates and which Geriatric practitioners might have interest in:

  • Telehealth & Digital Health Technology
  • The PT/PTA team
  • Role in Blood Pressure Management
  • Unrestricted access to PTs as entry-point practitioners for a broad range of services including activity participation, wellness, and health, as well as disability determinations
  • Commitment to inclusivity of the LGBTQIA+ population**
  • Improving the health of society through an expanded role for physical therapy and continued emphasis on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion both inside and outside the profession.

I’d love to have many discussions with APTA Geriatrics members about how we can influence APTA and what issues are important to you.