Although aging is inevitable, it can be a frightening prospect. Our bodies change dramatically; we lose strength and coordination at the same time that a simple fall could be disastrous. New health concerns, including heart disease, become more likely. Once-simple tasks suddenly feel challenging. But in-home geriatric physical therapy with First State Rehab at Home is one solution that could make a world of difference.
Many people think physical therapy is something you do after you’ve suffered an injury. If you’ve had surgery–especially orthopedic surgery, like a total hip replacement–you almost certainly utilized physical therapy to help you get moving again.
But physical therapy is more than just a recovery and rehabilitation tool. In fact, it can play a major role in preventing significant health issues and help you better manage aging.
But if you’re like many older people, leaving the house for regular physical therapy appointments might not be so simple. Perhaps your vision isn’t what it used to be, so driving is out of the question. Or maybe you have significant mobility impairments that make taking a bus across town too much hassle.
No matter the reason, the team at First State Rehab at Home has the solution. Rather than asking you to come into a clinic, we bring the clinic to you! With our in-home geriatric physical therapy services, you can focus on your treatment, not trying to find a ride.
If you live in the Greater Wilmington, Newark, Bear, and Middletown areas of New Castle County Delaware and want to learn more about our services, keep reading–or call us to speak to our friendly staff!
Who Can Benefit from In-Home Geriatric Physical Therapy?
There are many reasons why an older adult might want to utilize physical therapy. While post-surgical rehabilitation is certainly one such reason, it’s not the only one! We help people living with a variety of different conditions, including the following:
- Arthritis: We can help you manage pain and improve joint mobility
- Parkinson’s disease: Physical therapy and exercise are front-line treatments for managing Parkinson’s–and may even slow its progression!
- Osteoporosis: We’ll show you which exercises you can safely perform to help build bone strength without risking injury.
- Fractures: Suffered a fracture? We’ll help you rebuild strength and mobility afterward.
- High Fall Risk: Falls are among the most significant health risks to older adults. We’ll walk you through exercises to improve balance, gait, and stability–so you can stay on your feet.
- Lymphedema: We can help reduce lymphatic swelling and improve your overall mobility.
- Joint Pain: Even if you don’t have arthritis, you may struggle with joint pain, especially your back. We’ll help you identify the source of that pain and work to resolve it at its root!
In-home geriatric physical therapy can also help navigate the aging process more generally. You may have heard about “healthful aging,” a multi-faceted approach to ensuring a rich, vibrant life in your golden years. Physical therapy is an essential piece of healthful aging.
Our team can help you improve your overall fitness, including strength, flexibility, posture, balance, and more. We also offer drug-free pain management techniques and can help you restore overall functionality to continue to do the activities you love.
What Techniques Do We Include in Our In-Home Geriatric Physical Therapy Services?
Physical therapy can do a lot for the older adult. One of the reasons for that is we have several different techniques and approaches at our disposal that allow us to address a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Here are just a few of those techniques:
- Manual Therapy: This approach includes several hands-on techniques that reduce pain, improve range of motion, and promote blood circulation. Joint mobilization involves gently guiding an affected limb through its current range of motion, gradually increasing it over time. Soft tissue manipulation involves manipulating your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
- Lymphatic Therapy: This specialized type of manual therapy can help address pain and immobility brought on by lymphedema, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. It’s a very gentle, hands-on technique that encourages lymphatic fluid to circulate properly through your system.
- Therapeutic Exercise: Exercise is the foundation of physical therapy, and we’ll help you develop an exercise program that suits your needs, goals, and ability level. Whether that’s a daily regimen of riding a stationary bike, dedicated exercises for balance and gait, or weekly strength training sessions, we’ve got you covered!
- Patient Education: We’ll also equip you with the knowledge you need to manage your condition and live your day-to-day life. And because we’ll be in your home, we can better customize our advice.
For example, we might help someone with Parkinson’s identify potential fall hazards in their living room or show someone with hip arthritis how to safely navigate from their bedroom to their bathroom.
Call Us Today to Schedule an Initial Consultation!
All of First State Rehab at Home’s geriatric physical therapy sessions are conducted in the comfort and convenience of your home, including the initial appointment. We’ll learn more about you and your exact needs, review your health history, and conduct simple movement screens to develop the best in-home physical therapy program possible.
To get started, call us to schedule your appointment!
Sources:
- https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-role-of-a-physical-therapist-in-healthy-aging
- https://journals.lww.com/jgpt/fulltext/2022/04000/apta_geriatrics__guiding_principles_for_best.3.aspx
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/maintaining-mobility-and-preventing-disability-are-key-living-independently-we-age
Tags: Arthritis, chronic pain, in-home physical therapy, pain management, post-surgical rehabilitation
