Guide To In Home Physical Therapy For Seniors With 7 Quick Exercises

If you are looking for information on what exactly in home physical therapy is you came to the right place. In home physical therapy for seniors is a type of physical therapy setting that is commonly misunderstood. This post will define in home physical therapy and include all of the benefits of it, including how to find the right physical therapist and perform the right 7 physical therapy exercises.

What is Home Physical Therapy?

Home physical therapy is when a physical therapist treats a patient in the patient’s home. Elderly people typically prefer this type of setting as it allows a physical therapist to treat you in the comfort of your own home. 

This differs from other physical therapy settings such as outpatient physical therapy in which a patient goes to a clinic to receive physical therapy services.

The purpose of home physical therapy is to help patients return to their prior level of function, perform their daily activities as independently as possible and improve overall quality of life. 

Who is Home Physical Therapy For?

Home physical therapy is for anyone who has difficulty leaving the house. The typical homecare population consists of older adults, however children and people of any age can receive home physical therapy. 

Conditions Treated By In-Home Physical Therapy

There are a variety of health conditions that can be treated with home physical therapy. These include:

• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Surgical procedure such as total knee replacement or total hip replacement
• Older patients with balance issues
• Other chronic conditions

It is important to note that the goal of physical therapy is to restore functional independence. In-home physical therapy can treat chronic pain, however, there must be progress in physical function in order to justify continuing home health physical therapy. 

Can Physical Therapy Be Done at Home?

Yes, physical therapy can be done at home. A physical therapist will come to your home and will typically bring their own equipment that you can use during your physical therapy sessions. 

Benefits of In-Home Physical Therapy

• Improve overall function
• Improve ability to perform independent activities of daily living in the patient’s own home
• Patient’s don’t have to worry about getting out of their house and to a clinic for physical therapy
• Better quality of life
• Improvements in balance and muscle strength

In-Home Physical Therapy Cost

The cost of in-home physical therapist may vary depending on your insurance. For example if you have medicare physical therapy may be “free.” By free, I mean you will have a certain amount of money set aside to spend on physical therapy services annually at no additional cost.

If you have commercial insurance you may have a copay associated with physical therapy sessions. This is usually $20-60 per visit.

Private In-Home Physical Therapy

The goal of private in-home physical therapy will vary depending on the physical therapy company, experience of the physical therapist and location. In New York City private in-home physical therapy typically costs $125-250 per session. The cost may be closer to the lower end of that range in less expensive areas of the country. 

How To Find The Right Physical Therapist For You

Unfortunately not all PT’s are the same it is ok to request a new one. Typically private pay PT is better because those PT’s do not have to see the same volume of patients as those working for a company accepting insurance. However, you have insurance for a reason and should be able to use it for an exceptional PT so just ask for a new one if you are not happy.

Elderly Physical Therapy Exercises

Geriatric physical therapy or physical therapy for senior citizens is very crucial. A geriatric physical therapist will provide you with In-home care to help to reduce risk of falls and improve the ability of older people to carry out their daily tasks independently.

The best options for physical therapy exercises will include improving range of motion, muscle strength and physical activity in the patient.

This treatment plan is broad and covers the typical in-home therapy, however, it is important to note that it is a good idea to see a physical therapist who is aware of your medical history and any health issues you may have to perform a formal evaluation. They can create a treatment plan to meet your individual needs and specific physical condition. 

Physical Therapy For Homebound Patients

Physical therapy for homebound patients includes range of motion exercises, strengthening exercises and balance exercises. These include 1. Heel Slides 2. Quad Sets 3. Hamstring Stretch 4. SLR (Straight Leg Raise) 5. Sit To Stand 6. Standing Marches 7. Tandem Hold.

Range of Motion Exercises

Patients who are sedentary or are mostly confined to their home can develop stiffness in their joints and muscles and even contractures from lack of movement. It is important to work on range of motion or mobility exercises to prevent this. These include 1. Heel Slides 2. Quad Sets and 3. Hamstring Stretch.

1. Heel Slides

• This exercise is best for patients who have limited mobility or motion in their knees.
• Start by lying down on your back with a strap around your foot.
• Now slowly bend your knee while also using your hands to pull the strap and knee towards you.
• If you do not have a strap you can also use a towel or belt.
• The goal of this exercise is to get the knee to bend more.
• It is ok for it to be slightly uncomfortable when bending it, however it should not be painful.
  • If it is painful then don’t bend the knee as much.

2. Quad Sets

• This exercise is best for patients that want to increase their quad activation (the muscle on the front of the thigh) and improve knee extension or the ability to have your knee fully straighten.
  • This is a great exercise after a total knee replacement.
•  Start by lying down with your legs straight.
• Place a small towel underneath your knee or ankle.
• Now tighten your leg and try to push your knee straight down into the towel beneath you. 

3. Hamstring Stretch

• Start by lying on your back with the leg you wish to stretch straight.
• Place a strap around your foot and slowly lift your leg straight up towards the ceiling.
• You should feel a stretch or gentle pull behind the thigh.
  • Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then bring your leg back down to the starting position.
• You can use the same strap as the one used for the heel slides.

Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises are important in home care physical therapy as it can build muscle mass in weak muscles. This is especially important for the elderly since they begin to rapidly lose muscle mass each year after 65. These strengthening exercises include 4. SLR 5. Sit To Stand.

4. SLR (Straight Leg Raise)

• Start by lying on your back with one leg bent and one leg straight.
• Now slowly lift your leg up to the level of your other leg and then slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position.
• For added resistance you can use an ankle weight.

5. Sit To Stand

• This exercise is the perfect exercise for any age group because it is a very functional activity and can be modified in many ways.
• Start by sitting on a chair.
  • Now lean forward and stand up.
  • Once you are fully standing you can slowly lower yourself back down to the chair.
  • Try not to use your arms, however if you do not have enough strength in your legs you can use one hand or both.
• While sitting down on the chair try to control the descent as much as possible.
  • You do not want to just plop down on the chair.
• If needed the physical therapist may provide some assistance to help you stand from the chair as in this picture.

Balance Exercises

Balance exercises are important for seniors as they can help to decrease fall risk. These physical therapy balance exercises include standing marches and tandem hold. For all balance exercises it is important to perform them by standing next to a supportive surface for safety. These balance exercises include 6. Standing Marches 7. Tandem Hold.

6. Standing Marches

• Stand next to a sturdy surface for safety as this exercise will challenge your balance.
• If you do have poor balance this exercise is best performed in the presence of a physical therapist who can properly guard you in case you lose your balance.
• To perform this exercise you will march in place.
• You can start with mini marches and using your hands for balance and then slowly progress to higher marches without holding onto anything. 
• Standing marches are known as a dynamic balance exercise meaning that you are challenging your ability to remain stable and balanced while moving.
• If you are looking for more dynamic balance activities you can find them at 11 Creative Dynamic Balance Exercises Physical Therapy To Improve Stability In Seniors.

7. Tandem Hold

• This exercise is known as a static balance exercise meaning that you are challenging your balance while remaining as still as possible.
• Again you should perform this exercise next to a stable surface such as a counter for safety.
• Stand with one foot directly in front of the other.
  • Try to hold this position for 30 seconds and then switch your feet and place your other foot in front.
  • If this is too difficult you can hold the position for less time or stand with a staggered stance in which your feet on next to each other in a staggered stance.
  • If this is too easy you can perform it by standing on a foam pad.

Summary

In home physical therapy for seniors can help seniors to regain their independence. In home physical therapy can treat patients from a variety of different activity levels. These can range from bed bound patients to active patients that need to work on their posture and balance.

You can find posture exercises at 10 Best Daily Posture Exercises For Seniors With Pictures.

You can find specific bedridden exercises at 21 Simple Exercises For Bedridden Patients on Bed Rest.