Quinnipiac University Professor Advances Geriatric Physiotherapy Education in Kenya

Karen Blood, clinical associate professor of physical therapy at Quinnipiac University, is helping advance geriatric physiotherapy education worldwide through newly published research examining how physiotherapists in Kenya are prepared to care for older adults.

Blood, along with colleagues from Lebanon Valley College and Slippery Rock University, is the author of “Current state of entry-level geriatric physiotherapy curriculum in Kenya,” an open-access original research article recently published in the Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy.

The study examines how entry-level physiotherapy programs in Kenya prepare students to assess and treat older adults and identifies areas where additional geriatric education may be needed.

The research grew out of Blood’s trip to Kenya in spring 2025. During the visit, Blood and a colleague met with the Physiotherapy Council of Kenya and learned that Kenya, like the United States, has a growing older-adult population. Yet there was not dedicated education focused on the unique role physiotherapists play in examining and treating older adults.

The conversation provided an opportunity to build on an existing relationship with physiotherapy educators in Kenya and share approaches developed in the United States.

“The U.S. healthcare system has adopted the Geriatric 5Ms and revised essential competencies on the care of older adults at the completion of an entry-level physical therapy program to inform educational practices, and we wanted to share these with other nations,” Blood said. “It was easy to start in Kenya since we had a relationship established already.”

The researchers surveyed 177 Kenyan physiotherapists and physiotherapy students. They found that topics such as stroke, osteoporosis and fracture risk were commonly addressed, while other important areas — including pharmacology, nutritional status, elder abuse and elder self-neglect — were less frequently incorporated into the curriculum.

Participants who had completed a dedicated geriatric physiotherapy course were also more likely to report feeling prepared to work with older adults.

The research comes as Kenya and other developing nations experience a shift in their health care needs, with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and pulmonary conditions having an increasing impact. Older adults are among those most affected by these conditions, making preparation of health professionals increasingly important.

“This is important because Kenya and other developing nations are seeing a shift from infectious diseases to an increased impact of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and pulmonary conditions, and the older adult population is most affected by these,” Blood said.

The study’s findings are already informing Blood’s next phase of work in Kenya. By identifying gaps in entry-level knowledge related to older adults, the research provides a foundation for developing educational resources that address those needs.

“The study identified some gaps in the entry-level knowledge of physiotherapists regarding older adults,” Blood said. “This allowed my colleagues and me to consider these gaps as we work with the Jackson Foundation on a new curriculum in adult rehabilitation.”

Blood is currently collaborating with the Jackson Foundation on a new curriculum for Kenyan-trained physiotherapists designed to advance their practice in adult rehabilitation.

She is also developing a network of partnerships with other African nations to expand access to virtual educational sessions, creating opportunities for physiotherapists across the continent to engage in ongoing professional learning and share knowledge across borders.

“Karen is a prolific scholar and internationally recognized expert in physical therapy,” said Trent Honda, dean of the School of Health Sciences at Quinnipiac. “It is wonderful to see her work making real-world impact across the globe."