You’ve heard of physical therapists helping after a bone fracture, car accident, or disability. What do you know about geriatric physical therapy services?
The Problems With Aging
Physical Therapy Lexington OH – What Is Geriatric Physical Therapy?Some people maintain activity throughout their aging, but muscle mass can decrease. Pain from arthritic joints can impact mobility. Thinning bones can lead to severe injuries in a fall, and there’s also the risk of balance issues due to the medications your mom takes for a chronic illness like high blood pressure.
Geriatric physical therapy specializes in these issues that are unlikely to affect younger adults and children. Physical therapists specialize in helping older adults with balance, muscle strength, flexibility, and stamina.
With geriatric physical therapy, your mom’s therapist will use a mix of techniques to help your mom improve. This can mean massage or electrical stimulation to help with pain management to exercises that help flex and strengthen muscles to improve.
Your mom needs help with pain management with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, bone strength with osteopenia, or balance skills when her medications for high blood pressure make her dizzy. Neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s that impact mobility benefit from geriatric physical therapy.
What Happens During the Initial Appointment?
In the initial meeting with a geriatric physical therapist, your mom’s fall risk is assessed. This may entail having her do certain things while the therapist watches her. She may be asked to sit down on a chair, stand up from the chair, step up a stair, or walk heel to toe. Her physical therapist is with her, so she’s not at risk of falling.
She’ll go over any health issues she has and the medications she takes. If your mom has osteoporosis or is at risk for it, her therapist will discuss that with her. Low bone density puts your mom at higher risk of fracturing a bone in a fall or even if she hits something very hard.
If your mom needs assistive devices like a walker following a hip replacement surgery, her physical therapist helps her learn how to use it safely and properly. Not only will your mom have the help she needs, but family caregivers can sit in and learn how best to help her too.
Suppose your mom breaks her wrist in a fall. Her physical therapist gives her a sheet of exercises to complete each day. She learns how to do them correctly, and her family members also learn what she needs to do. Everyone helps your mom continually perform those exercises to keep the wrist flexible as it heals.
When your mom would benefit from physical therapy to help with balance and muscle strength, don’t hold off. Talk to her doctor and then arrange an appointment with a physical therapist. As it’s possible to get physical therapy services at your mom’s home, you won’t even have to arrange transportation.
If you are considering hiring Physical Therapy Care Services in Lexington OH, call the caring staff at Central Star Home Health at (419) 610-2161. Providing services for families in Mansfield, Lexington, Bellville, Crestline, Galion, Shelby, Ashland, Ontario, Bucyrus, Mt. Vernon, Marion, Willard, and the surrounding areas.
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