Geriatric Physiotherapy – The key to ageing well

As the name suggests, geriatric physiotherapy refers to the branch of remedial therapy dedicated to caring for older adults. This kind of physiotherapy aims to help older patients lead a healthy and active lifestyle and help them maintain a good quality of life. 

The general assumption about any physical therapy is that it aids recovery and rehabilitation, hence insinuating that it needs to be treated as complementary to medication and not as a preventive measure. But research has shown that elders who regularly undergo physiotherapy are more flexible, complain less about joint-pain and lead a relatively healthy life.

What to expect?

Holistic care! When dealing with older patients, geriatric therapists consider many different aspects like their musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurological, and psychological health. Often, a single patient is suffering from multiple problems that need attention. So, skilled therapists tend to approach each patient to provide intensive and all-inclusive care.

How to go about it?

If you or an elder close to you is seeking such therapy, here is a general breakdown of how it will be planned:

• Assessment: The therapist will conduct a thorough inspection of your overall physical history, making notes of any illnesses you have had in the past, or dealing with currently, which can be used to determine the required therapy.
• Goal setting: After understanding the kind of attention and treatment you require, your therapist will decide an aim for you, like ‘improving flexibility’.
• Scheduling:  Based on your physical condition and needs there will be a schedule set-up to make sure that you are given enough time to rest and recover between appointments, and also to make sure that there is no strain being put on you, as a result of the treatment.
   

Are there any benefits?

Numerous. The obvious ones have increased flexibility, an improved range of motion, and the ability to lead an active lifestyle. It also helps elders suffering from osteoporosis, arthritis, and those recovering from trauma – like falling, which is quite common in this demographic.

 Some other benefits of geriatric physiotherapy include: 

• Building strength and stability
• Increasing muscles endurance
• Improving balance and coordination
• Stimulating blood circulation
• Uplifting the overall mood 
• Feeling well mentally

Geriatric therapy is undoubtedly a great way to aid rehabilitation in adults. Still, it is also proven to help them maintain mobility, physical ability and independence, empowering and useful for older people who generally tend to feel dependent on those around them. Therapists in this field would recommend people engage in preventive physiotherapy to develop chronic joint pains and similar conditions that are otherwise preventable.

One could opt-in for orthopaedic, cardio-pulmonary and neurological therapy based on their needs and requirements. Geriatric physiotherapy is a great way to make sure that you age well, quite literally!

Yours in self-care,

Adrian Wilk