Geriatric Physiotherapy

Providing physiotherapy to older people is a challenge as because the differences in presentation of disease, the unique pattern of ageing in each individual, and the varying responses that older people may demonstrate, ad the complexity of the challenge is obvious.

Our physiotherapist ensure a holistic, patient-centred approach while physio treatment of seniors.

Assessment & treatment

Older adult care is complex because it comes with multiple conditions requiring knowledge of many specialties. Older adults often develop conditions under musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neurological conditions. And there may be overlaps in these categories, as older adults often have multi morbidities.

Assessment

Due to the ageing effect on the health status of older adults and their disease pattern of presentation, it is advisable that physiotherapy in older adults should be trained in musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiovascular assessment and management of older adults. Essential skills for a physiotherapist specializing in geriatric care should, therefore, include full knowledge of physiotherapy practices in these three categories, focusing on the care of older adult.

The assessment of older people differs from that of younger people is in taking into account the differences in the body that occur with age.

Obtaining a thorough medical/surgical history and supporting drug history is of importance, especially in a community setting where medical information may not be as readily available as in the hospital. In particular, medications can have a significant impact on the older adult and can contribute to poor mobility and falls.

Treatment

The nature of physiotherapy means that assessment and treatment tend to focus on the physical nature of a person's condition. For older adults, the physical tasks of daily life are an important starting point for treatments. Intervention should include (re)assessment of a person's abilities and difficulties in performing functional tasks such as transfers on/off a chair or the bed and general mobility.

Having assessed the older adult performing a task like chair transfers, the physiotherapist then identifies the underlying impairments impacting on the task. For example, strength and balance deficits, or psychological barriers such as a fear of falling. There are few techniques physiotherapists use that differ from those taught for all age groups, whether manual techniques are used in a clinic setting (although the mechanical changes to a person's skeleton may require us to modify a position of treatment) or functional intervention in the person's home.