How to get moving in a care home? We often find that older people in care homes do not move as much as they could. This is not good for people’s sense of independence, wellbeing, bodily functions or mood. It also places more strain on the care teams supporting them with greater manual handling tasks and sometimes agitated residents.
At Severn Physiotherapy we specialise in getting people in care homes moving! We help identify people who could do more in their day to move their bodies and have a sense of independence with daily tasks. As therapists we love to set goals! Our assessments are individualised so that we flex to the person’s needs and abilities. This means that the goal setting can be around how to drink safely and more independently in a bed or chair, how to reposition themselves or to stand or walk. It’s different for everyone!
Our team of physio and occupational therapists enable people to get moving in the care home to maximise their potential for independent living in later life. We love to see people achieve their goals and enjoy their therapy sessions. We have excellent feedback from the care, nursing and management staff about our results. Sometimes people are just more comfortable in their beds or chairs, and sometimes they get up and walking for the first time in a long time of being fully hoisted. It’s a wonderful job!
It is not (yet?!) a national requirement for care homes to have a physiotherapist on site. Often a resident may only have access to a physio if they have been discharged from hospital and allocated an NHS community physio for an assessment and maybe a few follow up sessions once a week. But we find for older people who live with frailty and are deconditioned after hospital, it is far harder for them to rehabilitate back to their previous level of function. With common cognitive deficits such as dementia, older people often require consistent, frequent therapy sessions to see any progress.
Some care homes sell their rooms to families with glossy brochures showing indoor gyms, pools and exercise classes. However please look beyond this and ask the simple question: “do you have a regular physio on site to attend to the residents?”. Posh gym equipment is not needed but regular exercise is! A decent space which fits a wheelchair with parallel bars or even just one single bar, as well as a mat on the floor will cover the basics. A practice flight of stairs can be handy, but not necessary. A Swiss ball, some stretchy bands and some light dumbbells are handy too but not necessary. It is not very common for a nursing home or residential home for older people to have residents who can make the most of a lats pull down machine or a rower.
If you would like to know more about how to choose a care home with therapy-led approach please contact us for advice.
If you are a care home manager who would like more information on our service to help you reduce the risk of falls and increase wellbeing and independence among residents and support your staff please contact us hello@severnphysiotherapy.co.uk
