Did your elderly loved one recently have a stroke? An unexpected stroke can cause damage to the brain. The damage tends to negatively impact a person's ability to do many things, such as talk or walk around as they did before. If you have noticed that your elderly loved one is struggling and needs assistance, in-home physical therapy is a suitable option. Rather than traveling to attend physical therapy sessions, the physical therapist will visit your loved one's home to provide sessions that can help. With regular physical therapy, your elderly relative may soon gain strength and flexibility while feeling more comfortable with walking and moving around again.
What Will the In-Home Physical Therapist Do?
Before starting the physical therapy sessions, the therapist will talk to your loved one about the problems they are having with mobility and strength. Once the physical therapist is more aware of the situation, the therapist can provide a customized approach. Some of the things the physical therapist might have the patient do include:
- Extending arms up and holding them in place for several seconds at a time
- Inverting the feet to stretch them out
- Walking on a slow treadmill while hooked to a stand-up lift
- Lifting light weights to improve strength
- Stretching, bending, and lifting the legs while lying down
The physical therapist may assist your loved one with dozens of different exercises and movements that can help them become stronger while regaining the ability to walk on their own, even if it means walking at a much slower pace than before.
What Are the Perks of In-Home Physical Therapy?
The perks of in-home physical therapy are tremendous. A physical therapist can visit the home at times that are most convenient for your aging loved one, such as early in the morning or later in the evening. Aside from coming at a convenient time and eliminating the need to travel to get to physical therapy sessions, regular sessions will make a difference in the way that your loved one moves. Strokes can lead to disabilities that prevent individuals from doing what they once loved to do. The physical therapist will set goals to help your loved one become a bit more independent after dealing with such a serious medical emergency.
If you have an elderly loved one who has suffered from a stroke, they may no longer be able to move around or do much, which is likely quite concerning to you. If so, in-home physical therapy is something to consider. The therapist will take a creative and custom approach while providing physical therapy sessions.
