Emil Lukovic

Public Institution Nursing Home
Grabovac
Risan, Montenegro

Abstract Title: Functional Rehabilitation in Parkinson’s Disease within Long-Term Care: A Case Study Focused on Everyday Mobility

Biography: Emil Luković, Specialist in Applied Physiotherapy, serves as the Coordinator of Physical Therapy at the Public Institution Nursing Home “Grabovac” in Risan, Montenegro, where he has over 14 years of experience in long-term geriatric rehabilitation. His clinical work focuses on neurorehabilitation, functional mobility, and physiotherapy management in institutional settings. Prior to this role, he worked at the Institute for Rehabilitation “Dr Simo Milošević” in Igalo and served as a physiotherapist for the national basketball and volleyball teams of Montenegro. He is actively involved in professional education as a lecturer of the accredited GRABFIPS program, a training program designed for professionals working with persons with dementia, implemented in multiple nursing homes across Montenegro, including his own institution.

Research Interest: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with functional decline, postural instability, and increased fall risk, particularly in long-term care settings. Objective clinical assessment is essential for monitoring rehabilitation outcomes; however, maintaining everyday functional mobility and safety remains a central goal of physiotherapy in nursing homes. This case study presents the physiotherapy management of a 72-year-old male nursing home resident with Parkinson’s disease. Initial assessment included the Timed Up and Go test (29 s), 4-meter walk test (9 s), Berg Balance Scale (41 points), and occiput-to-wall distance (19 cm), indicating impaired mobility, postural flexion, and moderate fall risk. The rehabilitation program focused on task-oriented functional training, gait re-education, postural alignment, and exercises adapted to daily activities within the institutional environment. Following the intervention period (8 weeks), improvements were observed in mobility performance (Timed Up and Go 20 s; 4-meter walk test 5 s), balance (Berg Balance Scale 46 points), and postural alignment (occiput-to-wall distance 11 cm). This case supports the importance of individualized, function-oriented physiotherapy in long-term care and highlights the role of structured rehabilitation in maintaining everyday mobility, safety, and functional independence in older adults with chronic neurological conditions.