The Benefits Of Home Physiotherapy
Home visit physiotherapy, also known as domiciliary care, is great for those who need physiotherapy but are not mobile enough or are not able to get to appointments.
Here at Central Health, we offer a home visit physiotherapy service which can be especially helpful for you, if you are having difficulty with day-to-day activities such as walking, climbing stairs or getting into and out of bed.
Whether you are suffering from balance problems, have had falls or a recent operation we can help improve strength, balance, mobility and confidence around the home and outdoors.
Our aim is to get you back to doing the things you love and enable you to live your life as fully as possible.
What does home physiotherapy involve?
An initial telephone triage call is arranged with the physio who will take some details of your problem. As well as some personal details such as date of birth, address and contact information. The initial appointment can then be arranged.
The first appointment is 1 hour which includes the 15 min phone assessment. Then, all follow up appointments are 45 minutes. All of our home based physio visits are set around goals agreed between you and your therapist. With the ultimate aim of improving your quality of life.
Following a comprehensive assessment in your home, we will ensure that you receive a tailored rehabilitation programme. With individualised advice and a clear plan for moving forward. If appropriate, hands-on treatments can also be administered in your home. This can include, massage and joint mobilisations which can be used as part of promoting your recovery. Visits are fitted around the you.
We encourage relatives or spouses to be present as often their input and help is valuable. In some cases we can help by teaching relatives some techniques that will help you to recover or for ongoing maintenance.
Home physiotherapy can be just as effective as physiotherapy in a clinic, and utilising household items together with portable equipment we can bring with us, can provide almost like-for-like environments.
Why do I need a telephone triage?
We believe starting our assessment with a telephone triage is necessary as it ensures that we match you with the right physiotherapist from our team. It also helps us to assess your individual needs and goals, and allows us to establish the problem is something that we can indeed help with.
Through speaking on the phone, your physio can get a feel for the your needs and establish your expectations. We can also establish the logistics in terms of location, travel times, appointment availability and whether there are any specific pieces of equipment that would need to be brought along to the appointment.
What are the benefits of home physiotherapy?
There are many benefits of having physiotherapy at home, some of which are:
• Convenience – many people find comfort simply from being in their own home. The individual and/or family members do not need to take time off work to accompany loved ones to therapy sessions, or spend money on transport and parking costs. It also eliminates the fatigue that can be experienced with travel as well, therefore conserving one’s energy and motivation for the physio session itself.
• Familiarity – with home physio, you are in a familiar environment and therefore you are at your most comfortable and relaxed. This is turn will enhance treatment, by being in a more relaxed state and enjoying the sessions more. The individual will also become more familiar with the exercises they need to do on their own and will be better prepared to do these exercises in between physio sessions, which in turn will improve their overall outcome. Treatment time can be used to build strength, optimise mobility and take steps towards independence and confidence in your own surroundings.
• Safety – visits to the home can be helpful in providing a risk assessment and advice to make the home environment safer, especially after a fall for example. We can also provide ergonomic advice to help make daily tasks easier to do. In many instances, exercises may be tailored toward navigating your own home, therein giving you the practical skills you may need to live safely.
• Post surgery – for anyone who has had an operation, such as a knee or hip replacement, physiotherapy is key to making a good recovery. Driving post-surgery is often not possible, or advisable and even getting a lift from carers, friends or family can be difficult, due to work and other commitments. Rehabilitation at home can be the best or only solution. A series of home appointments can ensure that no time is lost post-op, from moving towards recovery with the benefits of a personalised physio program, while a patient is unable to travel.
Who would benefit from physiotherapy at home?
Home physiotherapy is particularly beneficial for those who, for whatever reason, would struggle to get to an outpatient clinic. This could include, but is not limited to:
- Joint replacement surgery
- Post-operative rehabilitation
- Musculoskeletal complaints, for example back, neck, knee pain etc
- Reduced mobility, function or balance
- Difficulties getting around the home or outside, for example getting into or out of bed, the bath or the car
- Fear of leaving the home
- Patients at risk of, or with a fear of falling
- Generalised or whole-body de-conditioning (weakness) following illness or injury for example.
Why is it more expensive than regular in-clinic physio?
Physio at home is more expensive than in-clinic physio because of the extra costs involved, for example the time and cost of travelling to an individual’s home and transporting equipment. It also comes under ‘lone-working’ for the physio, which involves more legal and safety considerations. We are sure you would agree that the benefits of home physiotherapy far outweight the costs.
In Conclusion
So, now you understand the benefits of home physiotherapy, if you or your loved one would benefit from physiotherapy input but struggle to get to a clinic, then this service allows the great care Central Health are known for, to come to you.
Visit our Physiotherapy Home Visits page to find out more about this service, prices, and locations we offer. If you would like to discuss the suitability of a physiotherapy home visit from one of our wonderful physios for either yourself, a friend or family member, give us a call on 020 7404 6343.
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