Caring for an Ageing Population: Are Physiotherapy Graduates Adequately Prepared?

In view of South African policy developments related to the care of older persons, it was necessary to examine the nature of the geriatrics content within physiotherapy curricula. A survey was conducted amongst final-year student physiotherapists at South African universities, together with content analysis of physiotherapy curricula. Very little alignment was evident between the geriatric content in physiotherapy curricula and the strategies for intervention that were outlined in the policies for older persons and the transforming healthcare system. The development of care competencies and instructional strategies are necessary to guide the development of geriatric content in physiotherapy curricula.