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 the older part of Lohegaon, three generations may share one house: grandparents who have lived in the village all their lives, a son's family that commutes into the city, and children who come home from school in the afternoon. In the newer apartments, an elderly parent may have moved in recently from a village or another state, to a flat whose layout is unfamiliar. Both situations can lead to falls and to a gradual loss of confidence, and in both a physiotherapist can help in the home.
The general topic is covered in our guide to physiotherapy for elderly patients. This page considers Lohegaon's mix of village houses and new flats.
What puts older residents at risk here
- Raised doorsteps and uneven floors. Village houses may have a high threshold at the door and a step down to the courtyard or bathroom, and an older person who shuffles can catch a toe.
- Floor-level living. Sitting and rising from the floor for meals and prayer demands strong thighs and hips.
- An unfamiliar flat. A recently arrived parent may not know where the switches, steps and sills are, which makes night-time trips to the toilet risky.
- Summer heat and the monsoon. Dehydration and low blood pressure in hot weather cause dizziness, while wet floors and muddy lanes bring slips in the rains.
- Little reason to go out. When the family is away all day, an elderly person may stay seated for hours.
A visit for an older person
The physiotherapist begins by talking with the patient and the family about recent falls, medicines, vision, footwear and what the person wants to keep doing. Strength, joint range, balance and walking are tested with simple tasks, such as standing up from a chair several times or walking a short line. The result is a plan of three or four exercises, chosen for the person and the home, with clear instructions on which can be done alone and which need someone beside them.
If there has been a stroke or an operation, the plan follows that specialist's advice, and our pages on stroke rehabilitation in Lohegaon and knee pain physiotherapy in Lohegaon give more detail on those routes. For people who have fallen before, a related guide is fall prevention therapy.
Small changes to the home that help
- Light the path from bed to toilet with a night light that comes on by itself.
- Mark the edge of a raised threshold with bright tape and fit a grab handle on the nearest wall.
- Keep a sturdy chair with arms where the person sits for meals, instead of a low floor cushion, for the time being.
- Place a non-slip mat in the bathroom, and a plastic stool for bathing.
- Keep a bottle of water within reach in summer, and ask the doctor about blood-pressure medicines that cause dizziness.
A routine the family can keep
Choose a daily time that fits the household, such as after morning tea or before the evening meal, and tie the exercises to it. A short routine repeated every day is more useful than a longer one done now and then. Ask a family member or neighbour to join in so that the older person has company and encouragement.
When to see a doctor
Get medical help quickly after a fall with a blow to the head, severe pain or inability to bear weight; for sudden confusion, weakness on one side or trouble speaking; for fainting; or for chest pain and breathlessness. Repeated falls deserve a doctor's review even if the person is not hurt.
Request a visit on the booking page, or read about home physiotherapy in Lohegaon and how we cover the area.