From blog.mavencare.com
October is Physical Therapy Month! According to the American Physical Therapy Association, the month of October presents “an annual opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of physical therapy.” We’re particularly interested in how physical therapy – sometimes also called physiotherapy – benefits seniors and their unique needs.
WHAT IS PHYSICAL THERAPY?
In this post, we’ll cover what physical therapy is, why and when it’s good for baby-boomers and seniors, and the important role physical therapy can play in building a home care plan that will help your senior loved one stay in their own home for the long term.
According to the University of Toronto Physical Therapy program, physical therapy is “a professional health discipline directed towards the prevention or alleviation of movement dysfunction, and towards the enhancement of physical capacity. The ultimate goal of Physical Therapy is to assist the client/patient to achieve the highest possible level of independent function.”
In fact, the National Council on Aging notes that while we might often think of physiotherapy as a “reactionary profession,” it actually has great value as a proactive process – particularly for baby-boomers and seniors.
Essentially, this means that physiotherapy is designed to do two things:
- Provide proactive treatment to keep bodies moving comfortably, as well as
- Provide reactive treatment when pain, discomfort, or dysfunction emerge.
HOW DOES PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSIST AND BENEFIT BABY-BOOMERS AND SENIORS?
As we discussed in our blog post on exercise for seniors, the ways we move our bodies can be sorted into four categories: balance, endurance, flexibility, and strength. By recommending particular exercises, physical therapists can help seniors sustain and even enhance their abilities in these four forms of movement, which helps preserve seniors’ quality of life.
Of course, physiotherapy can also serve as a way to manage recovery from several conditions that commonly affect seniors, such as hip fractures/hip replacements, knee replacements, and strokes. In these circumstances, PT can help seniors move closer to their previous quality of life, regain their ability to complete activities of daily living, and learn adaptive ways to move as they recover from surgery or a health event.
Physical therapy is a key form of treatment for certain ailments, like arthritis. For seniors who suffer from arthritis, physiotherapy can assist in strengthening the affected joints and improving their mobility. Together, increased strength and mobility can help seniors maintain their independence in completing their activities of daily living.
Similarly, PT is useful for managing osteoporosis, since “bone is a living tissue that can be improved through some types of exercise.” For seniors with osteoporosis, PT can involve weight-bearing, strengthening, and postural exercises to help prevent decreased mobility and falls.
A physical therapist’s ability to assess how their patient measures against norms and standards of movement for their age group is another key benefit of PT for seniors. A physiotherapist can know, for instance, if a senior’s current level of mobility puts them at risk for falls, or if strengthening exercises could help improve their ability to complete various daily tasks. Fall prevention is an important concern for many seniors and their loved ones, and proactive physical therapy can help mitigate fall risks.
WHAT ROLE DOES PHYSICAL THERAPY PLAY IN HOME CARE?
Physical therapy delivered in seniors’ own homes has the advantage of being specifically tailored to the patient’s needs and to the environment in which they spend the majority of their time, which means the PT exercises are “completely relevant to the patient’s needs and goals.”
Physical therapists don’t only recommend and assist with exercises. They are also knowledgeable about supportive accessories like braces and splints, and about proper usage of mobility tools like canes and walkers, and can help seniors learn how to use these devices safely and in ways that will maximize their independence. The continued advice of a physiotherapist, combined with the assistance of a caregiver, can help seniors age comfortably in their own homes.
On top of the ways PT directly benefits seniors, it also has the extra benefit of being a way to introduce physical activity into seniors’ everyday routines. Growing older is “associated with progressive decline in activity levels.” This increases the risk of falling for seniors and is also not favorable for conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis, which are treated in part by movement, or for seniors’ mental health. Not only has movement been found to boost mood, but the sense of independence and of feeling in control of one’s own body that PT can supply are also invaluable for mental wellness.
Additionally, it’s important to note that physical therapists can provide ample assistance in seniors’ homes – there is no disadvantage to receiving PT at home rather than in a clinic setting. Physical therapists are “trained to utilize available resources” to provide the care that’s needed. This is helpful for seniors who have limited mobility, inconsistent access to transportation, and, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, in-home PT is an option for seniors who wish to self-isolate as much as possible.
Personal Training vs Physical Therapy: What’s the Difference?
Most people are familiar with these terms but don’t exactly know the difference between the two disciplines. It also makes it very confusing that personal training and physical therapy are often both referred to as “PT.” Read below for a quick comparison between the two!
What is Personal Training?
A personal fitness trainer is (as defined by National Federation of Professional Trainers),
“a fitness professional possessing the knowledge, skills and abilities for safe and effective exercise and fitness program design, instruction and assistance for the purpose of reaching personal health and fitness goals.”
What Can They Do:
- Measure your body composition
- Asses your current fitness level (flexibility, strength and endurance for example)
- Prescribe a personalized exercise program
- Instruct exercise programs with emphasis on proper technique
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapists are licensed health care professionals that diagnose and treat individuals to restore their abilities to move, function, and prevent disability.
Education Requirements
A Physical Therapist must complete a graduate degree-either masters or clinical doctorate from an accredited program. State licensure is also required to practice as a Physical Therapist.
What can they Do:
- Diagnose movement dysfunction
- Consult with patients to learn about their physical condition and symptoms
- Develop a treatment plan
- Instruct patients on proper exercise technique
- Provide stimulation, massage, or various manual techniques
- Maintain patient records, prescribing and monitoring goals and progress
- Instruct the patient and family about in-home exercises
Both professions are similar as they are patient/client facing, but have different scopes of practice, educational requirements, and work environments.
Ask yourself these 2 questions:
- If your Doctor prescribes “rehabilitation,” Physical Therapy, for what ever reason . . .
will you follow his/hers instructions? - If the same Doctor suggests you should participate in a “regimented” Fitness Program conducted by a Personal Trainer, applying basically the same exercises, affording the benefits . . . will you follow his/hers instructions.
I submit, the vast majority of respondents “honestly” will emphatically answer YES to question #1 and will just as unequivocally answer NO to question #2.
WHY IS THAT?
Now There Is A Solution!
The LifeStyle Change after 50 exercise videos are designed and built by a senior, for seniors!
My name is Don Thomsen, and at the age of 75, I designed and developed a routine that got me fit, toned, and in shape in a matter of months. I understand the challenges of the aging body because I have one—but I didn’t let that stop me from pursuing fitness and health again.
I knew that the program had to be easy, simple, effective, permanent, and most of all, fun. It worked for me, and I’m convinced that my exercise videos will help any person of any age reap the benefits of greater flexibility, strength, and muscle tone than you’ve ever dreamed possible.
Will This Work For You?
You may be thinking, “How do I know that these videos will work for me? Will they be at my level? Will they be easy enough for me to do?
The answer is YES!
The exercise videos that you’ll get when you sign up for my 3 Step Fitness/Wellness Program, include an easy (Beginner)and a full (Advanced) version of each exercise, so that the whole program can be completed by someone with limited mobility, energy, and fitness.
Have you given up hope that you could regain your strength because you just don’t have the energy any more and you’ve gotten so far out of shape?
Don’t despair.
All you need is a gentle but effective program that leads you through the steps that will get you back on top of your game. This video fitness course provides the motivation you need along with the step-by-step instructions of someone who understands your challenges.
And the challenges are real.
When you’re older, you have bigger obstacles in your way, but the journey back to fitness . . . CAN HAPPEN.
Obstacles To Senior Fitness Success
- Shortness of breath
- Extra weight
- Aches and pains
- Joint issues
- Muscle atrophy
- Other health problems
When you join the 3 Step Fitness/Wellness Program, we don’t just tell you to do exercises; we take in consideration your whole lifestyle. In this video series, we’ll take a holistic approach that takes into account all your challenges.
Fitness Brings Many Benefits.
Getting fit again means that you’ll enjoy things that you used to take for granted when you were younger.
- Greater strength
- Better balance
- Weight loss
- A toned physique
If you knew what a transformation you could experience in just 90 days through the 3 Step Fitness/Wellness Program, you would be amazed. However, many people take a brief look at the potential transformation they could experience and then immediately go back to being daunted.
- What if you could control most your health problems without the aid and side-effects of prescription drugs?
- What if you found an exercise program that worked for people over 50?
- What if you discovered what a healthy diet really is?
- What if you convinced yourself that you could really do the things necessary to achieve your goals?
Watch this video and scroll down and JOIN US . . .
“IT’S FREE”
ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED?
For months I have been sending you weekly Newsletters regarding Health and Fitness for men and women over 50. My intent was to suggest the possibility of Baby boomers and Seniors radically IMPROVING their Lifestyle.
Well it’s time we switched gears,
“From possibility to REALITY.”
First you must make a commitment and enroll in the course.
Fill out the sign-up form below. Enter your Email address, First name and preferably also your Last name (last names are not mandatory, but I would like to know who I will be working with for 12 weeks)
Placing your name and Email on the class roll, gives you Preferred Membership status. Only registered members will have “password” protected access to the weekly class curriculum. It will also give you direct access to your own Personal Training Coach for the entire 90 day of the program.
I have completed and perfected all the daily tasks I will be asking you to do, to the best of your ability. I will never ask you to do anything I haven’t done and have continued to do for the last 6 years. It’s going to be easy, and I promise you that we will make it FUN!