As an in-home physical therapy provider, we realize that some patients might not know what to expect during their first physical therapy session. A few of the typical preparation when going to a traditional PT clinic are not necessary for house calls visits. Let us cover some of the things you should expect during your initial Physical Therapy session!
Preparation
Because every Physical Therapy visit is in home, the normal preparation to leave the house is not necessary. However, you still want to make sure you are appropriately dressed and ready for your session. In addition, making sure you have a comfortable and adequate space to work in is important as well. Depending on the exercises and movements, you will need enough room to extend your arms and legs. Proper lighting may also need to be considered.
Introduction
You and your therapist will meet and start the introductions. At this time, your therapist will get an in depth account of what your concerns are and other important medical information. This is an excellent time for our therapists to get the “big picture” and start their evaluation.
Evaluation
During the initial visit, your Physical Therapists builds rapport by getting to know you and any pertinent history. From there they will assess issues and problems you are currently facing, as well as possible causes. The goal is to accurately identify the condition and underlying cause so that an effective treatment plan can be made. One of the benefits of in home evaluations is also assessing risks for falls. This is an important part of the first visit.
Education
As Physical Therapists, one of our most important jobs is to educate and inform our clients. Therapy sessions are a collaborative effort between therapist and patient. However, without the proper knowledge, patients may not understand the condition they have or how the treatment plan affects them. Throughout the first session and all subsequent sessions, we inform you of all the relevant information that will help you. Knowledge is a integral part to getting patients back to living a more normal and comfortable life.
Treatment
Depending on the condition, treatment can start as early as the first visit. After evaluating, your physical therapists and you, will develop a treatment plan. This sets up the realistic goals patients wants to achieve and helps them understand what is expected from them during all future visits. Because every treatment session is with the same therapist, progress and continual evaluation is effectively monitored and patients attain optimum results!
Those are a few things to expect for your first physical therapy session. Our goal is to make it as easy and comfortable to be seen at home.
If you want to find out more about how in home therapy and our physical therapists can help you, give us a call 302-304-9729. You can also fill out our Contact form. We would be happy to answer any questions. We cover the areas of New Castle County DE and Delaware County PA.
In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, we serve: Glen Mills, Boothwyn, Chester, Media, Newtown Square, Garnet Valley, Concordville, Aston, Broomall, Springfield, just to name a few.
