Partnering with Skilled Care Brings All-encompassing Care Together for Individuals

Although Right at Home Caregivers can provide help with standard Range of Motion Exercises with our clients, there are times when skilled therapy is needed for specific strengthening exercises.

From the experience of our Caregiver:

“When I arrived for the beginning of my shift, Eunice was working with the Occupational Therapist.  She was weak and had fallen (when I wasn’t there), so the family set up visits with therapies (OT and PT) for her.  Eunice said when she fell, she somehow crawled and pulled herself all the way from the bathroom to the bedroom to get to her lifeline, as she did not have it on. 

 I was pleased the Occupational Therapist was still working with her when I arrived, so I could watch and learn how I can reinforce what she was being shown.  She is on her own for many hours, but for the hours that I am there, I’d like to reinforce what she is being taught.  I know that could help her greatly.  These new techniques for her are going to help to prevent injury... but she has so much trouble remembering, and when you don’t remember, it’s always easy to revert to the old ways.  ... Glad I was here!

I watched the exercises, as she was shown how to safely get in and out of bed, how to scoot herself safely away from the edge of the bed in a way that would cause her less pain in her injured shoulder and back. They taught her when lying down, to pull knees up, and do a “log roll.”  When she would stand up from the couch, I would have to remind her to scoot her butt to the edge of couch so her "nose were over her toes", as the OT would say. Otherwise, she would try standing with her butt too far back from the edge and she would strain her back trying to stand.

The OT showed her how to get through doors, get up off the couch and how to use her walker properly... emphasizing how to use the breaks! She would always forget to use her breaks. The OT would remind her she needs to put the brakes on her walker before sitting on it.  She would tell her to make a circle with her walker and sit again.  But she’d sit without braking.  Each time when the OT reminded her, she would react like it was the first time being told, strangely enough, using the exact same mannerisms and inflections in her voice. 

She had to use the rest room often. Whenever we went anywhere, I always scouted out for a bathroom and made sure we had a quick, easy access to one. The Occupational Therapist also had her doing a bladder exercise because Eunice was always having to go to the bathroom. Those were just to squeeze and release the pelvic muscle... she was to do these alone as well as while going to the bathroom.

Another exercise I learned is called the finger walk and the towel roll/push.  (I had seen this as well for another client, for her shoulder).”

There were standing exercises assigned to Eunice, but also good for everyone.  These are standard range of motion exercises and have been done with many clients, to help strengthen and stay as healthy as possible. “We would march in place, bringing the knees up far as possible.  We would stand near a counter or table and bring the leg out to the side, and then the other. We would also exercise while sitting: lifting the leg, alternating legs, and then lifting toes.

Using her skills:  I initiated taking her for walks in the halls on my visits.  First we would loosen up with a few range of motion exercises.   When we came upon chairs I would say, "Let's rest here a minute!"  which she always appreciated, and I watched to see if she put the breaks on her walker first. Usually, I would have to remind her, but eventually, with repetition, she did begin to remember.”