Elderly Care in Orinda CA
One of the most common reasons older adults end up in the emergency room is due to fall-related injuries. Whether the elder has a lack of balance and coordination or they have vision problems that make it difficult to see their surroundings, there are a number of reasons your loved one may be more prone to falling in their own home.
One way to help prevent this from occurring is to hire an elderly care provider to help make their home a safer place for them. Another way to reduce their risk of falling is through physical therapy. Physical therapists can greatly reduce an elder’s risk of falling by:
- Assessing their risk of falling
- Helping make the home a safer place for the elder
- Educating the elder and their caregiver on medical risk factors that could be causing your loved one to fall
- Creating a personalized exercise program to help strengthen their muscles and coordination
- Work with a team of healthcare professionals who are experienced in preventing falls among seniors
There are a wide range of moves and programs the physical therapist may have your elderly parent do to improve their range of motion. Below are some of the most common moves they may suggest.
Get Moving
One possible reason that older adults fall so frequently is because of their slow moving steps when they walk. The physical therapist can help by creating an exercise program that improves the senior’s walking speed. Some moves they may want the elder to do are:
- Walking in circles
- Dance steps
- Obstacle courses
- “Figure 8” exercises that will strengthen the core abdominal muscles in order to improve the body’s stability
Balance Training
Exercises will be created by the physical therapist that will help strengthen the elder’s balance. This is especially necessary for older adults who fall frequently. One balance training exercise the elder may have to do is single-leg standing.
Multi-Tasking Activities
Learning to do more than one activity at a time can help the elder fall less often. These activities will also help the elder walk and talk at the same time. If the physical therapist wants to use these activities for your loved one, they may design a “dual-task” training program. It may consist of speaking backwards, walking quickly, engaging in a conversation, or carrying a bag of groceries.
There are many more activities and programs a physical therapist will be able to do with your aging parent. Call your local physical therapist for more information.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional elderly care in Orinda, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
Source:
http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=85726fb6-14c4-4c16-9a4c-3736dceac9f0
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