Elderly Physiotherapy at Home in Sadashiv Peth, Pune

Older residents of Sadashiv Peth are often attached to their homes and lanes, and with good reason. The difficulty is that the buildings were not designed for ageing legs: raised thresholds, narrow doors, steep stairs and bathrooms with a step or a wet floor. One fall can change a life, and the fear of falling can be almost as limiting as the fall itself.

Our guide to elderly physiotherapy explains the general approach. This page deals with staying safe and mobile at home in an old peth, and with the help a family can give.

Where falls actually happen in an older home

• Thresholds and sills. A raised sill between the room and the bathroom or the kitchen is easy to catch a toe on, especially when shuffling.
• The night-time trip to the bathroom. Poor light, sleepiness and a rush to get there is a common recipe for a fall.
• Stairs. A single flight with no handrail, or a rail only on the wrong side, can keep a person house-bound.
• Wet floors. Bathrooms and washing areas that are slippery after use.
• Standing up quickly. A drop in blood pressure on rising makes some people dizzy; this is worth discussing with the doctor, particularly after a change of medicine.

What a home assessment looks at

The physiotherapist asks about recent falls and near-misses, medicines, eyesight, footwear and how confident the person feels walking. Then we test the things that predict falls: how easily they stand up from a chair, how well they balance with feet together and in line, walking speed, leg strength and ankle movement. Because we are at home, we also look at the route from the bed to the bathroom and at the lighting and flooring along the way.

The programme is usually a few simple exercises done daily: standing up from a chair, heel raises, stepping in different directions, and balance practice holding on to a sturdy surface. They suit a small room, and a family member can supervise. Joint pain and stiffness are treated as well, since they often lie behind unsteady walking; see knee pain physiotherapy in Sadashiv Peth for how that is approached.

Living alone, or on your own during the day

Many older people spend long hours by themselves while the family is at work, or live alone in the house they have always had. Practical steps matter more than any gadget:

• keep a lamp or night light on the route to the bathroom, and a phone within reach;
• agree a daily time for a call or a neighbour's visit;
• wear closed shoes or non-slip slippers indoors, never socks on a polished floor;
• keep frequently used things between waist and shoulder height;
• learn, with the physiotherapist, how to get up from the floor, or to call for help if you cannot.

Short daily walks keep strength up; go with someone at first, choose even ground and rest on the way. If a stroke or surgery is part of the picture, see our pages on stroke rehabilitation in Sadashiv Peth and post-surgery rehabilitation.

Falls and symptoms that cannot wait

After a fall, severe hip or groin pain, or being unable to stand or bear weight, needs an emergency department, as does a blow to the head in someone taking blood thinners. Sudden confusion, one-sided weakness or fainting should also be seen straight away.

Families can book a visit on a parent's behalf. For more on how visits work, see home physiotherapy in Sadashiv Peth, or our blog on physiotherapy at home for older patients.