Presbyvestibulopathy (PVP), a diagnosis established in 2019, is a vestibular dysfunction or loss related to aging characterized by mild bilateral vestibular deficits, chronic dizziness, unsteadiness, gait disturbance, and/or recurrent falls. All peripheral sensory functions decline with age, and the population is aging. Consequently, older adults may experience decreased physical activity, performance, and social participation, falls, poorer quality of life, and cognitive decline. Occupational therapy (OT) plays a vital role in social participation, healthy aging, fall prevention, improving fall-related efficacy, environmental and activity modification, compensatory training, and rehabilitation with older adults to improve occupational performance and participation in daily activities. Despite the potential impact of PVP on occupational performance and participation in meaningful activities, limited literature exists on the topic. Further, potential efficacious interventions for age-related vestibular loss fall within the occupational therapy scope of practice. This capstone intends to utilze evidence relevant to OT to contribute to an understanding of PVP and the potential role of OT in recognizing, assessing, and treating patients with age-related vestibular loss. The Person Environment Occupation Performance (PEOP) model is proposed as a holistic and comprehensive framework to improve occupational performance and well-being in older adults impacted by vestibular dysfunction.
