Rethinking Frailty: Why Your "Too Fragile to Treat" Patients May Be Your Biggest Opportunity
- Speaker:
- Mike Studer, PT, DPT, MHS, NCS, CEEAA, CWT, CSST, CBFP, CSRP, FAPTA
- Copyright:
-
Nov 18, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS065746
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
One-third of adults over 65 meet criteria for frailty—and most are undertreated because we've accepted decline as inevitable. But the research tells a different story: frailty is often preventable, frequently reversible, and always worth addressing.
The problem? Many clinicians aren't confident screening for pre-frailty, don't know how to dose exercise for patients with low physiologic reserve, or miss the cognitive, social, and nutritional factors that accelerate the frailty cascade.
Dr. Mike Studer—named Clinician of the Year by both the Neurologic and Geriatric Academies of the APTA—has spent > 35+ years proving that even severely-impaired patients can improve through person-specific intervention.
In this course, you'll get concrete strategies to identify frailty early, intervene effectively, and help patients rebuild the resilience they've lost—using precision rehabilitation principles that match the right intervention to the right person at the right time.
This course covers what textbooks skip: how to personalize care and safely prescribe "exercise in disguise" for patients who fatigue in minutes; the sleep-frailty-cognition connection your patients aren't hearing about, and why pre-frailty is the clinical sweet spot most therapists are missing entirely.
Credit
Speaker
Mike Studer, PT, DPT, MHS, NCS, CEEAA, CWT, CSST, CBFP, CSRP, FAPTA Related seminars and products
Mike Studer, PT, DPT, MHS, NCS, CEEAA, CWT, CSST, CBFP, CSRP, FAPTA has been a PT since 1991, board certified in neurologic PT in 1995, and a private practice owner since 2005. Dr. Studer has been an invited speaker covering all 50 states, 13 countries, and 5 continents speaking on topics ranging from cognition and psychology in rehabilitation, aging, stroke, motor learning, motivation in rehabilitation, balance, dizziness, neuropathy and Parkinson Disease. Dr. Studer was the founder and operator of Northwest Rehabilitation Associates in Oregon for 18 years and is now a co-founder and co-owner of Spark Rehabilitation and Wellness in Bend, OR. He is an adjunct professor at Touro University and additional appointment at UNLV. Dr. Studer assists the USC-led national network of neurologic PT residencies (Neuroconsortium) as well.
In 2011, Mike was recognized as Clinician of the Year in the Neurologic and (in 2014) the Geriatric Academies of the APTA. He received the highest honor available in PT in 2020, being distinguished as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA in 2020, joining a group of under 300 persons at the time for the history of the profession. Mike’s honors additionally reflect his service for Vice Presidency of the Academy of Neurologic PT, the Mercedes Weiss award for service to the Oregon chapter of APTA. He holds a trademark in dual task rehabilitation and has a patent pending on the same. Over his career, Mike has authored over 40 articles, 7 book chapters, and routinely has clinical research projects in affiliation with one of many universities. He is a consultant to professional athletes including Major League Baseball players, competitive divers, and some of the most prolific climbers in world history. As a very fun and lighthearted note, Mike is the four time and current WR holder for the fastest underwater treadmill marathon, a mark that was set most recently in January 2022. Most recently, Mike authored The Brain That Chooses Itself, a practical and applications-based guide to increasing both healthspan and lifespan for laypersons and medical professionals alike.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Mike Studer is the co-founding member and co-owner of Spark Rehabilitation and Wellness and has employment relationships with Touro University, the University of Nevada, and Post Acute Medical. He previously received a speaking honorarium from SMARTFit. Mike Studer receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and a consulting fee from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Mike Studer is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Vestibular Disorders Association, and the Oregon Physical Therapy Association. He serves on the advisory board of Rehab Management and ADVANCE.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info
Objectives
- Identify frailty and pre-frailty in patients within standard evaluation timeframes to improve function.
- Modify exercise dosing and progression strategies for patients with low physiologic reserve to improve mobility and reduce fall risk
- Identify sleep, nutrition, and social factors contributing to functional decline.
- Develop intervention plans targeting pre-frailty to prevent progression and preserve independence in daily activities.
Outline
The Frailty You're Missing
- Frailty vs. pre-frailty vs. normal aging—why the distinction changes everything
- Physical, cognitive, and social presentations: how they cluster and compound
- Screening tools that take minutes, not paperwork
- The $12,000-per-patient cost most systems aren't tracking
The Factors Fueling the Decline
- Sleep and recovery: why your exhausted patients aren't bouncing back
- Nutrition for the non-dietitian: sarcopenia, protein needs, and when to refer
- Polypharmacy, isolation, and the accelerators hiding in plain sight
Exercise in Disguise
- Why traditional dosing backfires with fragile patients
- Precision rehabilitation: right person, right intensity, right time
- Practical progressions for patients everyone else has given up on
Catching Frailty Before the Cascade
- Pre-frailty: the reversible window most clinicians miss
- Prevention strategies that work in real-world practice
- What you can do Monday morning
- Risks and limitations
Target Audience
- Physical Therapists
- Physical Therapist Assistants
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Skilled Nursing Facility
- Home Health Professionals
Reviews
Satisfaction Guarantee
Your satisfaction is our goal and our guarantee. Concerns should be addressed to: PO Box 1000, Eau Claire, WI 54702-1000 or call 1-800-844-8260.
ADA Needs
We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.
PESI Mobile App
Access CE trainings on your phone or tablet through our free mobile app. Choose video or audio-only versions of online courses from the world’s best instructors, and complete your CE requirements anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.
Please wait ...



