Do Physical Therapists Come to Your Home? How to Get At-home Physical Therapy
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
November 8th, 2021
Finding quality “in-home physical therapy near me” can be incredibly valuable for seniors and aging adults looking to regain or maintain strength and mobility. Are you wondering if there are physical therapists that come to the home? Do you want to know how to do physical therapy at home? At-home physical therapy makes it easy and convenient for elderly adults to keep their bodies strong and mobile. It’s also an accessible way for seniors to recover after an immobilizing surgery or illness.
If you’re an aging adult looking to increase your strength or mobility, home health care physical therapy could benefit you. In this article, we’re looking at the benefits of in-home physical therapy for aging adults. You’ll learn about at-home physical therapy services and get insight into Virginia’s best in-home physical therapy providers. Continue reading to get more information on in-home health and physical therapy.
What Is At-home Physical Therapy?
At-home physical therapy (PT) is physical therapy that you receive in the comfort of your home. Like in-office PT, trained physical therapists oversee the treatment plan and exercises, but they do it in the client’s home instead of a clinic.Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of home health care physical therapy for elderly adults.
The Benefits of Home Health Care Physical Therapy
As seniors age, they can experience a decrease in mobility. There’s often a link between a reduction of mobility and one or more factors, like:
Lack of regular physical activity
General wear and tear on the body over time
An injury, illness, or chronic condition
A surgery that leaves them bedridden or without the use of a particular body part for extended periods
One of the best ways to combat a decrease in mobility and recover from an injury or surgery is physical therapy. In-home physical therapy providers make receiving PT easy and convenient.In addition to the ease and convenience of a home health care physical therapist, physical therapy at home can also benefit seniors by:
Providing them with increased confidence moving around
Teaching them how to use a cane or other assistive device
Helping them regain independence
Restoring their use of a body part after an injury or surgery
Tailoring exercises to their specific needs and lifestyle
With a therapist that comes to the home, elderly adults can maintain mobility or regain strength—all in the comfort of their home.If you’re an aging adult who’s interested in home health and physical therapy, you can start the process by following the steps outlined in the following section.
We offer in-home physical therapy in the Charlottesville and Richmond, VA areas.
How to Do Physical Therapy at Home
Finding “in-home physical therapy near me” and starting a PT program can be challenging if you don’t know what to do or what’s involved.Here’s a rundown of how to find at-home physical therapy services and what to expect from at-home physical therapy.
1. Contact Local Home Care Agencies or PT Clinics
The first step in receiving in-home physical therapy is to locate in-home physical therapy providers in your area.Some ways to track down a home health care physical therapist are to:
Search online for “in-home physical therapy near me”
Contact local PT clinics or healthcare facilities
Reach out to in-home care agencies
Searching online is a great preliminary way to find local physical therapy clinics. And once you locate some offices, contacting them is the next logical step. However, finding an in-home care company that also offers at-home physical therapy services is often the best option.In-home care agencies specialize in providing care to elderly adults, so getting PT through them ensures that the care is senior-focused.But if you can’t find a local home care company that provides in-home physical therapy, contacting any PT clinic that offers in-home PT should suffice.
2. Schedule Your Initial Assessment
Once you’ve found a physical therapist that comes to the home, you can schedule your first appointment with them.The first thing the in-home physical therapist will do is assess your current physical condition. Then, they’ll ask you some questions and have you perform some physical exercises to gauge your level of mobility.This initial assessment will help your physical therapist understand where you are in your strength and mobility journey. It will also allow them to create a personalized care plan tailored to your needs and goals.
3. Receive Ongoing PT and Support
Once you’ve completed the initial assessment and your PT has created your care plan, you’ll start doing at-home physical therapy with your therapist and on your own.
Sessions With Your Home Health Care Physical Therapist
Depending on your goals and insurance coverage, you may meet with your physical therapist once or a few times each week.Those who want to recover more quickly and have better coverage may meet with their therapist more than once a week. Others who don’t have insurance covering multiple visits each week or who have less severe mobility issues might only meet with their PT once a week.Regardless of how often your physical therapist comes to your home, your PT will introduce you to a series of exercises. They’ll walk you through these exercises and ensure that you do them correctly. As you regain mobility and strength, your physical therapist will introduce new exercises and increase their difficulty.
Performing Exercises on Your Own
Meeting with your physical therapist is important with home health and physical therapy. However, it’s also vital that you perform exercises independently, especially if you only see your PT once or twice a week.As your PT teaches you exercises, they’ll expect you to perform them independently between sessions. Doing exercises alone will help you regain strength and mobility more quickly.Therefore, it’s essential to pay attention when your physical therapist shows you exercises. That way, you’ll know how to do physical therapy exercises at home correctly and without risk of injury. In addition, getting into the habit of doing exercises on your own can help you continue at-home physical therapy on your own once you stop meeting with your physical therapist.By meeting with your physical therapist regularly and performing exercises on your own, you’ll see rapid mobility and strength improvements.Now that you know the benefits of a home health care physical therapist and how to do physical therapy at home, are you ready to learn where to get “the best in-home physical therapy near me?”
Virginia’s Premier In-home Physical Therapy Providers
Do physical therapists come to your home? Yes, there are in-home physical therapy providers with physical therapists that come to the home. So instead of having to leave the house and drive to a clinic, at-home physical therapy services allow seniors the comfort and ease of PT in their own homes. At-home physical therapy is an excellent resource for elderly adults looking to regain mobility or strength. It’s especially helpful for recovering from an injury, having just had surgery, or simply wanting to maintain their lifestyle.A home health care physical therapist can help seniors:
Regain confidence in their mobility
Teach them how to use a cane or other assistive device
Help them become more independent
Restore the use of affected body parts
Create a personalized care plan
The way that in-home physical therapy works is:
You contact an in-home physical therapy provider
Schedule an initial assessment
Receive ongoing PT and support
If you’re a senior who’s ready to regain mobility and strength in your body, then it’s time for you to find “in-home physical therapy near me.”At Commonwise Home Care, we specialize in providing exceptional elder care to aging seniors. In addition, we offer professional in-home physical therapy to elderly adults in the Richmond and Charlottesville, VA areas. Our doctorate-level physical therapists come to your home, create a tailored plan to help you reach your goals, and work with you to ensure you regain strength and mobility.
We offer in-home physical therapy in the Charlottesville and Richmond, VA areas.