Many senior adults can improve their physical, mental and emotional health after an illness or injury through rehab or physical therapy. A team of professionals, which includes physical, occupational and speech therapists as well as other health and social services professionals, can restore flexibility, increase strength, reduce pain, build endurance, improve speech, enhance confidence, and restore the body’s ability to perform tasks. Below are just some of the rehabilitation benefits that can prevent future injuries for seniors.
Fall Prevention and Recovery
According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among seniors, and one in four Americans age 65 and older fall each year. However, studies show that physical therapy programs that provide a focus on strength, balance, flexibility, good posture and a proper walking gait can reduce the risk of falls. Fewer falls translate into fewer hospital readmissions and injuries.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that makes them weak and brittle, and this is a common condition among seniors. A regular exercise plan provided by a physical therapist can slow bone mass loss, build muscle, increase flexibility and balance, and help prevent falls.
Recovery From Surgery
Following a surgery, rehabilitation benefits for seniors include:
- Strengthening muscles
- Speeding up recovery
- Reducing pain
- Improving mobility and flexibility
Therapists can identify areas of pain and provide an exercise regimen to ease discomfort. This reduces reliance on pain medications, which can cause fatigue or confusion for seniors. It also helps avoid the use of other pain-reducing medications like opioids, which can have serious addiction risks.
Lack of movement places people at a higher risk for pneumonia, skin problems and other infections. Supervised movement and exercise wards off other potential health problems associated with surgery or physical inactivity.
Supervised strength training rebuilds muscle mass that results from inactivity following surgery. The key to physical therapy is movement, because when patients move more, they are better able to recover and handle more daily activities. This not only builds confidence in the senior, but it also gives them an incentive to keep improving their health.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiac rehabilitation includes supervised exercise programs and education on nutrition, medications, and lifestyle improvement. It helps heart patients become stronger and less likely to experience another cardiac event. Cardiac rehab is estimated to be as effective as medications in preventing future heart problems. Cardiac patients have 25-30% fewer fatal heart events after rehab.
Cardiac rehabilitation benefits include weight control, improved circulation, blood pressure control, lower cholesterol levels, and better management of diabetes—all of which may lessen dependence on medications. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can benefit as well.
Cognitive Function and Rehab
People with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can benefit from exercise, both physically and cognitively. It’s important to evaluate where they are in the disease process. Based on that assessment, rehab specialists help them exercise and remember the movements of exercising. They also may encourage activities the patient has always enjoyed, like dancing or gardening, helping seniors maintain the skills they have for a longer period of time.
Health Literacy and Your Rehab Team
Health literacy is about how well people understand health information and how they should use it.
A patient’s rehab team can be a vital source of information in explaining the treatment plan and other aspects of their medical care. Even people with good literacy skills may struggle to know what they should do and why. The ability to understand their care and make appropriate health decisions directly affects the health and wellbeing of patients.
Motivation Makes a Big Difference in Healing
Delivering person-centered care is widely understood as a necessary component to positive treatment outcomes. Individual patient goals and desires have to become a part of the patient’s care plan, and a motivated patient is more likely to participate in therapy and have better outcomes.
Activities of Daily Living Help Seniors Prevent Future Injuries
Occupational therapists focus on activities of daily living—the things people do every day like bathing, dressing, cooking meals, washing dishes, preparing grocery lists or calculating a household budget.
The capacity to perform these basic skills increases personal safety for the patient, as well as providing an improved sense of independence. It also builds momentum for a healthier lifestyle. People who continue to move and maintain or enhance their skills tend to keep exploring their possibilities!
Experience rehabilitation benefits near you by visiting Bethesda’s “Find a Community” page.
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