First Assessment
Free
45 minutes, at home
- Full clinical examination at the patient's home
- The likely cause explained in plain language
- A realistic recovery plan and what it will cost
- No obligation to book any further sessions
In Ambegaon Budruk, a familiar household arrangement is a parent at home and adult children at work, some of them travelling a long way across Pune to reach it. The day is quiet, the flat is familiar, and a fall in the bathroom or a slow loss of strength can go unnoticed for a long time. Physiotherapy at home addresses this directly.
Our elderly physiotherapy guide covers the general principles. Here we describe what we look at in older people's homes in this part of Pune, and how a programme fits around a working family.
Two kinds of home, one set of risks
Older residents of Ambegaon Budruk live in two quite different settings. Some are in society flats, often bought or rented near a son or daughter, with a lift, a security desk and tiled floors. Others live in older homes in the village core, with a raised doorstep, steps to a roof or upper room and lanes that have been dug up more than once for pipes. The risks are different, and so is what the physiotherapist checks.
- Tiled floors and wet bathrooms. Smooth tile is easy to clean and easy to slip on. The physiotherapist checks footwear, grab support and the transfer from shower to seat.
- Thresholds and steps. A doorstep, a bathroom lip or a step to a balcony catches a toe in a shuffling walker.
- Low seats and beds. Getting up from a low sofa or a floor mattress takes strength that may no longer be there.
- Dim corridors and night trips. Walking to the bathroom in poor light is a common time for falls.
What the first assessment covers
The physiotherapist asks about falls, near-falls, dizziness, medicines, vision, sleep and what the person wants to be able to do. The examination covers strength in the legs, hand grip, balance on one leg and with eyes closed where safe, walking speed, the way the person stands up from a chair, and joint stiffness. We note pain, particularly in knees, hips and back, and treat it. Where something looks like a medical problem, such as new confusion, breathlessness or poor blood pressure control, we advise a doctor's review before exercise. For joint-specific advice, see knee pain physiotherapy in Ambegaon Budruk.
The programme: strength, balance and confidence
Older people keep their independence mostly through leg strength and balance. A typical home programme includes sit-to-stand practice, heel raises while holding a counter, walking with changes of direction, stepping over low obstacles, and exercises for the hips and trunk. Intensity starts low and rises gradually. The aim is to make the person steadier on the tasks of their own day, such as going to the bathroom, getting into the lift or stepping onto the doorstep.
Confidence matters as much as muscle: a person who has fallen once often fears moving, and graded practice with the physiotherapist alongside helps rebuild trust in the body.
Walking outside
If the person is able, we plan walks in the society compound or a quiet lane at a cooler, less crowded time of day. Wet paths, uneven tiles and traffic at the gate are the things to avoid. A stick or frame is set at the correct height and used on every walk; we do not send anyone onto a busy road before they are ready, and we ask a family member or helper to go along at first.
Working with the family at a distance
When the children are at the office, the programme has to work without them. We give two or three exercises on a single page, in large print, with the days to do them. After a visit, we can summarise what we found and what to watch for so that a family member can read it in the evening. If you are worried about a parent who lives alone, our page for stroke rehabilitation in Ambegaon Budruk lists the warning signs of a stroke that every household should know.
When an older person needs urgent medical help
Take the person to hospital after a fall with severe pain, a deformed limb or inability to bear weight, a head injury with drowsiness or vomiting, or a fall while on blood thinners. Call 108 for sudden weakness on one side, slurred speech, chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting. Do not hold the problem back for a later session.
Booking a visit
Use the booking page to arrange a home visit, and tell us the society or lane, the floor, and what has changed recently. The wider page on home physiotherapy in Ambegaon Budruk explains how we cover the neighbourhood.