What Does a Home PT (In Home Physical Therapist) Do?
In-home physical therapists focus on helping their clients return to the tasks of everyday life. They do basically what other physical therapists do in their office. You can expect an in-home physical therapist in Greenwich CT to provide care for injury or illness related physical issues that limit your mobility, or ability to participate in activities you enjoyed prior to your illness, surgery, or injury. Whether you and your physical therapist focus on your mobility or other aspects of normal daily activity, your in-home physical therapist will travel to your home and use one-on-one engagement to help you overcome physical barriers that result from injury or illness.
The need for in-home physical therapy services increase when a client suffers from difficulty in mobility or travel and when travel to see a physical therapist is challenging due to transportation issues or physical location. Although some people who meet with their physical therapist in their homes, are physically capable of traveling to an office, there are many reasons why they may benefit from in-home physical therapy treatment. One service that many in-home physical therapists provide, pre-and post-surgery rehabilitation, pays special attention to predictable in-home needs of their clients. Working with a physical therapist prior to surgery improves recovery time. Working with a physical therapist in preparation of an anticipated recovery also allows you to establish a plan and to preorder assistive equipment prior to your actual need. This service allows you to return home with an established plan of action for your recovery. Rather than travel to an outpatient physical therapy office, you can spend your time focusing on getting well.
You will find that many physical therapists have taken on the responsibility of specialty training in gerontology. These specially educated providers have particular knowledge to help them support people in training for age related injuries and challenges. Other services that you will find readily available through in-home physical therapy are fall prevention and balance training. Whether you find yourself unsteady on your feet due to a minor infection or a major health issue, an in-home physical therapist can help you make the accommodations necessary to live safely in your environment. A simple assessment of your living environment by a specially trained physical therapist can reduce the risk of falling and minimize the risk of further injury.
Why Use In-home Physical Therapy?
There are many reasons why you might want to use a home PT in Greenwich CT. Some reasons you might wish to use an in-home physical therapist include:
Convenience
Having your physical therapist travel to you negates many of the challenges that make physical therapy clients unlikely to attend their physical therapy appointments. When your physical therapist travels to you, you don’t have to worry about rain, icy road conditions, or simply waking up late one morning. Participating in in-home physical therapy allows you to focus your full attention on your healing process.
Reduced Stress Levels
Many people find outpatient physical therapy spaces stressful. In the physical therapist’s office, a client is often asked to train on novel machines in a space akin to a gym. No one goes to see a physical therapist when at their personal best. Some clients find waiting in crowded spaces and dealing with strange machinery off-putting when they are already struggling with a physical impairment. Many people find comfort in having a home PT visit them and doing training in the comfort of their own home
One-on-one Instruction
When you obtain your physical therapy in your home, you have the undivided attention of your physical therapy specialist. Physical therapists working in an outpatient setting will often oversee the care of more than one client at a time. This is simply not the case when you receive your physical therapy care in your home. You are likely to benefit from this specialized and focused care. Indeed, a 2016 study discussed in The Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that home based physical therapy was more effective long term than traditional physical therapy training for the same period of time.
Direct Application of Learning
When you work with your physical therapist in your own home or office, you take some guesswork out of the instruction you receive. Working within the exact space where you perform your day-to-day tasks, allows your physical therapist to understand what you do that could cause injury and improves the likelihood that instruction will be clear, meaningful, and helpful.
Rather than suggesting that you move in a particular way to do your laundry or to carry out your trash, your physical therapist can model the exact movement required with the object that you will actually be using. This allows the physical therapist to see any movements that increase potential injury, allows for real life problem-solving, and improves the likelihood that the client will understand and remember the proper movement.
Simplified Training
When you walk into a physical therapist’s office, you will quickly notice a variety of machines, gadgets, and exercise equipment. Although each of these instruments has a purpose, they are not often things we have access to within our homes. By meeting with your physical therapist in your home, you are limiting the instruments you will use in training to things you will continue to have access to long after you have healed. This means that not only will your training be easier for you to replicate in your home, you will be more likely to continue with your training long after you have discontinued physical therapy.
A Better Experience With Home PT: In-home Physical Therapist In Greenwich CT
Axis Therapies gives you the best of both worlds in convenience and high-quality patient care. If you or a loved one are in need of an in-home physical therapist in Greenwich CT, contact us today to discuss next steps!
