In-Home Physical Therapy
What Is In-Home Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy provided in the patient’s residence rather than at a physician’s office or medical facility is called in-home physical therapy. Physical therapists are concerned with restoring the health of persons who have suffered a loss of locomotion, functioning, or strength, due to accident, stroke, heart attack, orthopedic surgery, or other medical condition. This restoration can be partial or complete, depending on the nature and extent of the disability.
The in-home provision of physical therapy offers patients several advantages over similar treatments in off-site locations. Learning to walk safely again, or how to handle daily activities, is easier at home, in a comfortable, well-known environment. Undergoing therapy where you live also keeps your family more involved, better enabling them to encourage and assist you.
Who Would Benefit from In-Home Physical Therapy?
In-home physical therapy is ideal for patients dealing with the medical consequences of:
- Stroke
- Cardiac arrest or failure
- Balance issues
- Walking issues
- A fall or falls
- Back or joint pain
- A knee or hip replacement.
Getting around without hindrance is a blessing that many of us take for granted. If you’re experiencing signs of immobility or loss of function, the rehabilitation professionals at Baptist Health might be able to help.
How Does In-Home Physical Therapy Work?
In-home care delivery means that medical services come to you, rather than you going to a medical facility to receive treatment. Your rehabilitative therapy will be conducted by a licensed physical therapist.
What Does a Physical Therapist Do?
Physical therapists are medically trained individuals who specialize in helping restore physical functioning and mobility. Your therapist will evaluate your condition during his or her first visit. This evaluation will form the basis for a customized treatment plan that addresses your medical needs during future visits.
What Physical Therapy Services Are Offered in the Home?
Home-based treatment plans typically involve:
- Gait training to improve mobility and walking ability
- Balance training and fall prevention
- Transfer training for safe movement in and out of chairs, beds, bathtubs, etc.
- Personalized exercise programs
- Home safety education.
Other services might include pain management, durable medical equipment recommendations and training, and family or caregiver education.
How Can In-Home Physical Therapy Help?
Physical therapy delivered in the home is effective for the following reasons:
- Personalized, one-on-one care: The physical therapist is focused on a single person: you.
- Friendly environment: Relearning to walk, or how to manage daily affairs, is easier in an environment that you already know by heart.
- Focus on basics: Of necessity, in-home physical therapy focuses on the basics rather than on medical tests and equipment. A personalized exercise plan will get you up and moving sooner than an overreliance on technology.
- You’re already home: If you’re having difficulties with mobility, why add to them by going to a hospital or physician’s office? Staying at home means less risk for you.
- Less stress: Few people enjoy waiting rooms. At-home care is less stressful.
- Comparable results: At least one study has shown that in-home physical therapy can bring results comparable to those of other outpatient programs.
In-home physical therapy is a great first step to regaining the independence that comes with performing simple tasks on your own.
How Do I Start In-Home Physical Therapy?
Contact us for more information, and to see if you're eligible to receive therapy and rehabilitation services at home. Baptist Health Home Care services require a physician referral.
In-home physical therapy services are available in the following locations: