Physiotherapy in Care Homes in Sutton Coldfield

Hello and welcome back to the ThreeSpires Physiotherapy blog where we take a look at all things physiotherapy and health related. In the last article we looked at our home visit physiotherapy service in Sutton Coldfield and specifically some of the physiotherapy services that we offer in Sutton Coldfield. In this article I thought it would be nice to continue in this theme but this time look in more detail at how we provide physiotherapy in care homes in Sutton Coldfield and the ways in which our physiotherapists help patients in care and nursing home in Sutton Coldfield. 

Is it Possible to Have Physiotherapy in a Care Home in Sutton Coldfield?

I know this sounds like a strange question given the title of our blog and the physiotherapy service that we provide but it is a question that I get asked regularly and in fact many people are completely unaware that it would even be possible to have physiotherapy in a care home. Many people assume that when their relative needs to go to a care home in Sutton Coldfield following an illness, drop in mobility or a hospital admission for something like a stroke that the staff at the care home will be able to do exercises and rehabilitation work with them. Or they assume that it will not be possible for a private physiotherapist to visit the care home and that only NHS physiotherapists can go into care homes in Sutton Coldfield. 

So, to answer all of these issues: firstly will the care staff provide rehabilitation or physiotherapy in the care home? Unfortunately this is extremely unlikely to happen, simply because the staff at the care home will be extremely busy and also they are not trained to assess what exercises and rehabilitation would be most suitable for a patient. Secondly all care and nursing homes in Sutton Coldfield allow physiotherapists to visit as this is in the best interests of the patients and it is not only NHS physiotherapists that are allowed in. In fact most care homes in Sutton Coldfield are extremely happy to accommodate a physiotherapist visiting to help a resident as it gives them more information and improves their management of the patient's needs.Certainly my own experience of providing physiotherapy in care homes in Sutton Coldfield is that staff are very helpful and keen to have a second opinion on how best to manage residents in terms of exercises, stretching and therapy. 

So How Can Physiotherapy in a Care Home Work?

So, what does having a physiotherapist visit and treat you or your relative in a care home in Sutton Coldfield involve and how can you organise it? Firstly, obviously it involves making contact with us here at ThreeSpires Physiotherapy to discuss the situation and what the condition of the resident at the care home is. During this initial contact we will be keen to know a few key facts about the patient so that we can decide how best to help with physiotherapy: what age are they, how long have they been at the care home, are they mobile and if so do they use a frame or stick, what has brought them to the care home and what they would like help with in terms of physiotherapy? After this discussion we will then book an initial assessment, it is important that we try to avoid the lunchtime at the care home as in general during this period staff are very busy and it is difficult to get access to key staff such as the senior carers or nurses. In general we also prefer it if a family member is present during the initial physiotherapy assessment as this helps give us a full idea of the situation and also means that our physiotherapist can discuss goals, targets and a clear management plan. 

On the initial assessment the physiotherapist will attend the care home at the appointment time and intrduce themselves to staff and will usually meet the resident or any relatives in their room (unless organised otherwise). During the initial assessment the physiotherapist will take a full past medical history, find out what has brought the resident to the care home, discuss goals and then conduct a physical assessment. The nature of the physical assessment will vary depending upon what it is the patient needs help with but in general will involve examining strength and mobility and potentially balance. After concluding the physical part of the assessment the physiotherapist will then discuss finidngs and a plan ofr moving forward and achieving any goals set. They will also book any follow up sessions as needed. During this session it may be necessary for the physiotherapist to find and discuss the situation with staff and advise them of any issues or physiotherapy requirements. If needed the physiotherapist will be able to instruct and advise staff on any exercises or rehab requirements, also if needed they will be able to make any referrals to other medical professionals such as doctors, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.

During follow up sessions the physiotherapist will visit the patient at the care home (usually in their room) and will work with them towards achieving their goals such as improving mobility via exercises and strengthening work. The physio will also keep the staff informed about progress and what has been happening each session. Usually as a physiotherapy practice we like to keep in touch with relatives at regular intervals either via phone or email but also our physiotherapists are very keen to have relatives present during therapy sessions as this helps keep the patient motivated and engaged and also means that the patient's relative has a good idea of how much progress is being made.

What Kind of Physiotherapy Services Do We Provide in Care Homes in Sutton Coldfield?

This is where our physiotherapy service really comes into its own, as our physiotherapists have a large amount of experience of working with a large range of  patients in care or nursing homes in Sutton Coldfield and helping improve and meet their goals. It is very likely that whatever the resident's issue our physiotherapists will be able to help them but I think it is useful to have a more detailed look at some of the issuess that we help patients with in care homes in Sutton Coldfield:

1. Reduced Mobility: This is a key part of the physiotherapy service that we provide in care homes in Sutton Coldfield and makes an enormous difference to patients. In this case our physiotherapist would work with the patient to improve strength and mobility via exercises and strengthening work and a program of exercises that they would need to follow. This can be targeted at returning to a previous level of mobility possibly after having had a hospital admission, a fall or an operation or it may be aimed at maintaining the level of mobility that the resident currently has.

2. Respite: Some patients may only be coming into the care home in Sutton Coldfield for a temporary period possibly because they have had an operation such as a hip replacement and they currently won't be able to manage at home independently. In these cases our physiotherapists wll be able to come into the care home in Sutton Coldfield at relatively short notice and work intensively with the patient to help them recover as quickly as possible. 

3. Post Stroke: Many of the patients that we see for physiotherapy in care homes in Sutton Coldfield have had a stroke that has reduced their mobility and ability to manage independently at home. Our physiotherapists are able to work with these patients over a period of time to help them make as good a recovery as is possible. 

4. Orthopaedic: often the patients our physiotherapists see in care homes in Sutton Coldfield will be recvering from an orthopaedic procedure - most commonly a joint replacement such as a hip or knee replacement. This will often have reduced their mobility and independence and our physios will work with them to make a speedy and good recovery. 

5. Contractures: sometimes after an extended period in hospital a patient may develop a contracture at a joint (commonly the knee) which means that they are unable to extend their knee as much as they need to in order to walk. In this case our physiotherapists will be able to visit the care home in Sutton Coldfield and advise on the best course of treatment and provide stretching and manual therapy to help.

6. Dementia: a large proportion of residents in care homes in Sutton Coldfield have dementia and sometimes this makes it very difficult for them to remain fit and active as they find it very difficult to follow an exercise programme independently. In this case our physiotherapists are able to visit and work with these patients regularly to ensure that they stay as active as possible and have a good quality of life.

The above list is not a comprehensive coverage of all the physiotherapy services that we are able to offer in care homes in Sutton Coldfield but hopefully it has given you a clear idea of what we do and how we might be able to help with you or your relative. If you are considering booking an appointment then I would recommend that you check out our success in our testimonials section on our website (found here) and on our facebook page (found here)

For anyone reading: we are a home visit physiotherapy service, based in Lichfield but serving anywhere within a 20 minute drive including areas such as Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Cannock, Burton and Rugeley. We offer a wide range of services including paediatric physiotherapy, post-operative rehabilitation, neurological physiotherapy and neck and back pain relief. If you need further information or would like to book an appointment we can be contacted on 0788 428 1623 or via enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk