Hello everyone, welcome back to the Daily Senior
Safety Advice podcast. I'm Esther Cain, a retired
occupational therapist and a certified aging
in place specialist. So this is March 10th and
March is Mobility and Independence Month. Today
we're going to talk about the role of physical
therapy and how it benefits and can increase
your independence. I want to start off by saying
something that I think surprises a lot of people
and it surprised me that it surprised a lot of
people. Physical therapy is not just about recovering
from surgery or an injury and it's not just for
athletes. I'm always surprised when I speak to
my friends and family about going to see a physical
therapist, their immediate response is usually,
well, I'm not hurt. I'm going, well, yeah, but
you may need some help with, you appear to need
some help with your balance or you're having
trouble increasing, you know, your, your strength
or you're losing strength. Physical therapy can
help you all about that. And that's what this
talk is about. Physical, this podcast is all
about physical therapy is about staying independent
about doing the things that you want to continue
doing in your own home on your own terms. What
I hear as I've said all the time is, oh, I thought
physical therapy was only after an injury or,
oh, I didn't think it would help with everyday
things. But here's what I've seen over and over
again. And I know from my own personal experience
of partaking in physical therapy. um you know
sessions is that physical therapy can keep people
living independently longer and of course that
matters to your daily life independence isn't
just about pride it's about safety it's about
confidence it's about being able to get up move
around and take care of yourself without fear
without um apprehension So what I've noticed
over the years is that people don't usually lose
independence all at once. I know that I notice
it in myself. It's a little bit each month. There's
a little tiny thing that I used to be able to
do a year ago that maybe is a little more difficult
now. It definitely happens in small ways. Things
like getting up from the floors a little harder.
You know, scooping up that litter box from the
ground is a little harder. Getting up out of
a chair feels harder. Even getting up out of
bed can feel harder. Walking feels a little slower.
Balance feels off. And stairs, especially going
downstairs, can feel intimidating. And people,
you can quietly start avoiding some of those
things because you have that apprehension. So
that's usually when physical therapy can really
help to make a difference. PTs don't just look
at one sore knee or one weak hip. They look at
how your whole body moves, how you stand, how
you walk, how you transfer from bed to chair
and from the floor up. They watch the details
that most of us do not notice. And here's where
all of that really matters. Those details are
often what helps to keep someone safe at home.
PT focuses on strength, balance, flexibility,
and coordination. All the things that support
daily life. I've seen physical therapy help people
stand up without using their arms. Can you believe
that? When's the last time you did that? Walk
more confidently to... helps to reduce falls
and to feel less afraid of moving and performing
tasks. And fear is a big part of all of these
movements. When someone is afraid of falling,
they naturally move less. When they move less,
well, they get weaker. And that cycle can sneak
up really fast. So physical therapy can help
to break that cycle. and it does it in a very
personal way. It's not a one -size -fits -all
program and it shouldn't be. If you go to a physical
therapy gym and you notice that your PT is working
with five or six people at the same time giving
you standard exercises, then yeah, that is not
the right kind of physical therapy. That is,
I don't know, generic physical therapy. What
you want is a one -on -one session with the PT,
maybe four, five, six sessions to get you going.
There are PT clinics out there that are built
just like that. There's one right by me called
Above ABOVE Therapy right here in Suwannee, Georgia,
and they are amazing. It is one -on -one. It's
the PT and you, and it is And it's an excellent
physical therapy clinic. So you want clinics
like that. Exercises that the PTs assign are
chosen based on or should be chosen based on
what you actually need to do. Getting in and
out of the shower, walking to the mailbox, climbing
a step, getting up from the floor, you know,
real life stuff, stuff you use every day, even
getting in and out of the car can be difficult
for some people. And that's something that a
lot of families don't always realize is that
PT isn't about fancy equipment. It's about practical
movement that you use every day that can help
to keep you more independent, longer in your
own home. I've seen therapists use chairs, counters,
towels, steps, everything, things that people
already have at home. And sometimes having A
home health PT can be more beneficial than going
to a gym. So check on that. Independence definitely
happens at home. And of course it can spread
out to the community, but you definitely want
to be as independent as possible for as long
as possible in your home. Another important piece
that PT's provide is education. They teach people
how to move safely, how to use their bodies better,
how to protect their joints. That kind of knowledge
really sticks. I've seen people say things like,
well, no one ever showed me that before. And
suddenly movement feels less scary, which is
amazing. I mean, even as an OT, I've heard that
myself. Physical therapy can also help people
with mobility devices such as walkers and canes
and even walking sticks. or how to use them correctly,
or even how to pick the correct one for them,
how to size it for them. which all of that matters
more than people think, because if you use the
incorrect mobility device, that can actually
end up hindering you worse. I have seen, you
know, some seniors using walkers that were way
too short for them or way too tall for them.
And then that ended up causing muscle pain and
poor gait, you know, poor movement, unsafe balance
issues. So you want to use the right equipment,
but you want it to be fitted to your shape, your
body. Using equipment, using the right equipment,
the right way increases your independence without
a doubt. Using it the wrong way and using the
wrong kind of equipment can absolutely increase
your fall risk. And I want to say this clearly.
Needing physical therapy does not mean that you're
failing. That's like saying going to the gym
means you're failing. No, it means you're taking
charge. It means you're doing something for yourself
and about your health. It means you're being
proactive. It means you're saying, I want to
stay as independent as long as possible. And
that is strength, not only physical, but emotional
strength. And physical therapy, let's face it,
isn't always forever. Sometimes it's short -term,
sometimes it's periodic check -ins. It's like
a tune -up for your body. I've seen people return
to activities that they thought were behind them.
Everything from gardening, walking with friends,
traveling. And even when full recovery isn't
always possible, physical therapy still helps.
It helps people do more with what they have.
and more importantly, to do it more safely. And
if you're a caregiver, physical therapy actually
helps you too, because when someone moves better,
your care for them gets easier. Your body movements
or how you help transfer them and help them can
also be instructed to be done in a safer way
by a physical therapist. But if the person that
you're helping is more independent, then what
you do for them is less physical. You're not
injuring your own body. Your stress goes down.
The possibility of injuring your own muscles
goes down. That kind of shared independence really
matters. The goal of physical therapy is not
perfection. It's function. So, can you do what
matters to you? Can you move through your day
with less effort and less fear? That's the win.
So if you or someone you love is starting to
feel limited or avoiding movement or feeling
unsure at home, then please consider getting
a doctor's order for physical therapy. It may
be one of the most supportive steps that you
can take. It's not about pushing harder. It's
about moving smarter. And over time, let's face
it, that can really make a difference between
needing help and staying independent. Well, that's
all that I have for you today. I want to thank
you again so much for being here with me. And
if today's episode gave you some useful insights
or new ideas, then please share it with someone
who you think might find it helpful as well.
And you can discover even more expert tips and
helpful guides for seniors and caregivers at
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.com. Now, come back tomorrow for more useful
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