Program Services

The F.A.C.T.S. program offers the following services:

1. Assessment of selected functional abilities of elderly individuals.
2. Development of objective profiles of these functional capacities.
3. Counseling and/or prescription for appropriate follow-up interventions.

Functional Abilities Assessment

The F.A.C.T.S. protocol examines the following functional abilities as a basis for assessing functional health and designing appropriate intervention activities for the elderly:

Aerobic Capacity
Balance
Central Processing Behaviors (reaction time, memory, speed of tapping)
Gait/Mobility/Agility
Hand/Foot Control (hand/foot dexterity, eye-hand coordination)
Muscular Strength and Endurance
Range of Motion/Flexibility
Recent research suggests that functional health and independence in the elderly can best be maintained or improved by a multidimensional, or holistic approach in planning intervention and physical activity programs. The F.A.C.T.S. program is organized to allow scientists and other professionals to evaluate a variety of factors that affect functional health, objectively interpret data, and plan appropriate, individualized follow-up care activities.

Clinical Research and Service Components

The clinical research aspect of the F.A.C.T.S. program is designed to provide a venue for clinical research in gerontology. It focuses on: (1) development of a comprehensive normative data base for assessing the effects of aging on physical, neuromuscular, and cognitive capacities of individuals 45 years and older; and (2) identification of potential periods of "rapid" aging (e.g. "aging spurts") in individuals 50 years and older.

The clinical service component offers a comprehensive assessment of functional abilities of frail and healthy elderly individuals with follow-up counseling for and/or prescription of appropriate interventions to enhance functional capacity needs of the individual. Clients for the F.A.C.T.S. program are referred from physicians, agencies serving the elderly, by word of mouth, and through community advertisements and press releases.

The Lifespan Motor Development Laboratory

F.A.C.T.S. is an extension of current programs implemented in the Lifespan Motor Development Laboratory in the Department of Exercise Science. The Lifespan Motor Development Laboratory is devoted to the scientific investigation, analysis, and improvement of neuromuscular functions across the lifespan, from young children to senior adults and the elderly. This state-of-the-art laboratory is equipped with a variety of clinical and diagnostic tests and computer based programs. This technology allows scientists and other professionals to evaluate a wide array of neuromuscular functions in both children and the elderly. The Perceptual Motor Development Laboratory is the program whose focus is on children with special developmental needs and represents the pediatric component of the Lifespan Laboratory. The F.A.C.T.S. program, which focuses on the neuromuscular needs of senior adults, is the geriatric component of the laboratory's operations. Both the F.A.C.T.S. program and the programs of the Perceptual Motor Development Laboratory are under the direction of Dr. Harriet G. Williams.

For Further Information, Contact:
Dr. Harriet G. Williams, Director
The Perceptual-Motor Development Laboratory
School of Public Health
Department Of Exercise Science
The University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
(803) 777-2863 or 777-7932
E-Mail: hwilliams@sph.sc.edu