7 Reasons for Seniors to Consider Home Physical Therapy

Did you know one in four Americans over the age of 65 suffer from a fall each year?

Because so many seniors get injured every year, chances are they will need physical therapy to recover from their injuries. While there are many physical therapy facilities, there’s nothing better than getting treated at home.

Read on to learn the benefits of home physical therapy for seniors.

Things to Consider Before Hiring a Home Physical Therapy Provider

Before hiring a physical therapist to treat you or your family member at home, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Because they won’t be surrounded by the same equipment and regulations they would have at a clinic, you must make sure they’re qualified for home visits.

As you get ready to hire a physical therapist, make sure, you ask important questions.

• Is the physical therapy facility covered by the state?
• How do they screen their employees?
• Do they perform regular background checks?
• What are the minimum qualifications of their employees?
• Do they take insurance, and what types?
• How will they customize the treatment plan?
• What will they do in case of an emergency?

Although you might have more questions, these are a great starting point.

1. Maintain Their Familiar Setting

Although seniors can receive care at a physical therapy facility, they would feel the most comfortable getting treated in their homes.

Most seniors are not comfortable in new and unfamiliar situations, especially when they’re injured. By selecting a home physical therapist, seniors will feel comfortable in their own space.

2. One on One Attention

While patients get excellent care at physical therapy facilities, the staff usually has to treat multiple patients at once.

On the other hand, treating patients at home gives physical therapists the ability to focus on one patient at a time.

This is the perfect scenario for concerned seniors who want to have their health care provider’s undivided attention. When they get treated from home, they will ask all the questions they have and feel more comfortable getting treated.

3. Safer Environment

For a variety of reasons, seniors might not feel safe leaving their homes for treatment. Some seniors might also have compromised immune systems that might prevent them from being around others.

With all the challenges faced in 2020, seniors don’t want to put themselves at risk by going to a health care facility. Having a therapist treat them in the comfort of their home will minimize the risk of exposure.

In their home, they’re the ones in control of sanitizing while keeping isolation.

4. Save Money

Hospital stays or getting care at a long-term care facility can quickly add up for seniors. Although many insurance companies might cover most of the costs, there are still deductibles to consider.

Getting treated at home rather than at a long-term facility will provide the same care level at a lower cost.

5. Access to Different Services

Getting a physical therapist to treat them from home also gives seniors access to the same services as if they would get treated at a facility. It also allows more time for their care provider to bond with them and offer a more personalized plan.

All of the treatments provided by a physical therapist to seniors allow them to continue to perform the activities that keep them independent, such as getting dressed, take a shower, cook, etc.

6. Different Payment Options

Because most physical therapists that treat seniors at home are part of a larger organization, they offer different payment plans. Depending on the type of insurance plans they take, there are many payment options available for seniors.

Before hiring a physical therapist, ensure you call your insurance company to verify coverage, co-payments, and such.

There are often other federal or state resources available for seniors to cover the costs not covered by insurance.

7. They Can Keep Their Independence

The best thing about seniors getting physical therapy at home is that it allows seniors to maintain their independence.

Getting to their physical therapy appointment might be a problem for many seniors, especially if they suffered from an incapacitating condition. They might have to rely on someone to give them a ride to their appointment, making them feel less independent.

By having a physical therapy appointment at home, they can retain their independence because they don’t have to rely on someone to drive them to the appointment.

Seniors tend to thrive in their comfort zone, being around their environment and the things they like.

Having a home physical therapy session also eliminates the need for a commute, so they don’t have to worry about factoring traffic time into their day.

Importance of Physical Therapy for Seniors

The goal of physical therapy for seniors is to reduce pain and improve mobility, strength, balance, and functionality.

Aside from treating seniors after a fall or an injury, physical therapy is also preventative. A physical therapist will help seniors build their strength again and improve their fitness level to prevent future injuries.

For example, physical therapy can help ease arthritis symptoms because it increases muscle mass and takes the pressure off the joints.

Physical therapy can also help slow down the side effects of osteoporosis.

Dangers of Skipping Physical Therapy

Physical therapy for seniors is essential to their well being and overall health. When an injury is left untreated, it can have a lot of negative consequences.

Failure to have physical therapy after a fall can cause the injury to heal improperly, leading to chronic pain and increased chances of re-injuries.

Physical therapists treat injuries and educate seniors on which exercises and stretches can help improve their mobility.

Are You Ready to Try Physical Therapy for Seniors?

Now that you know about the benefits of home physical therapy, it’s time you find the best provider to treat you or a family member.

There are many benefits to home physical therapy for seniors, such as decreased risks, providing a variety of services, customized care plans, and maintained independence.

Do you need to find the best at-home care for seniors? Contact us today.