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
The bypass defines the rhythm of life in Narhe. Families leave early for work in Hinjewadi, Hadapsar or the city and come back late. The older generation stays home, often in an apartment on a high floor, with a helper for a few hours and a phone for company. It is a safe arrangement as long as the parent keeps their strength and balance, and a precarious one if they do not.
Our elderly physiotherapy page covers the general approach. This one is for relatives who live in or near Narhe and want to understand what a visit involves.
Spotting the early signs
The change is gradual. A parent starts to hold the wall when walking to the toilet, takes longer to rise from a chair, stops using the lift without a companion, or no longer goes down to the garden. They may say nothing, and relatives notice only during a visit. These are signs of weakness and poor balance, which can usually be improved with exercise at any age.
The physiotherapist asks about previous falls, dizziness, medicines, eyesight and footwear. Simple tests of walking speed, balance and chair rising give a baseline. The result is a plan which targets the weakest areas, with tasks of a suitable difficulty.
Looking at the flat from a parent's point of view
We walk through the places your parent uses: bed, bathroom, kitchen, balcony and the route to the lift. In a flat, the chief hazards are slippery bathroom floors, low toilet seats, door thresholds, loose mats, trailing wires, poor lighting at night, and balcony doors with a step. Most of these are cheap to fix, and the physiotherapist prioritises the changes with the greatest effect.
The lift and lobby also come into the assessment. Some parents are anxious about the lift, or about waiting for it with a stick. Practising the sequence with the physiotherapist, from the door of the flat to the gate, restores confidence and shows whether an outing is realistic alone.
What the exercise programme contains
- Leg strength: sit-to-stand, heel raises and gentle step-ups, held to a safe height.
- Balance: standing with feet together, then in a line, near the kitchen counter, progressing as steadiness improves.
- Flexibility: hips, ankles and spine, for ease in dressing and bathing.
- Walking: a regular walk in the corridor or compound, increasing as tolerated.
Sessions are short and unhurried. If your parent also has knee or back pain, the work is coordinated with the guidance on knee pain physiotherapy in Narhe. For falls specifically, see our fall prevention therapy page.
What the family can do from a distance
- Agree a daily time for exercises and phone at that time.
- Ask for the written plan and have a helper or neighbour know where to find it.
- Ensure closed footwear with grip is worn indoors.
- Fix a night light between bed and bathroom.
- Report new confusion, dizziness or medicine changes to the doctor.
Emergency signs in an older person
Sudden weakness of one side of the body, drooping of the face, difficulty speaking, chest pain, fainting, severe headache, new sudden confusion, or a fall followed by hip, back or head pain require emergency care. Call an ambulance. Do not try to lift someone who may have broken a hip.
Booking for a parent in Narhe
Request a visit on the booking page, noting your parent's conditions, the floor and who will be at home. For more on how we work here, see the Narhe page; for recovery after hospital, see stroke rehabilitation in Narhe.