The Importance and Benefits of Rehabilitative Therapies
Injury and illness can take its toll on the body. This can often be due to age and, as we get older, we get frailer. It can also be due to illness like a heart condition or following something more debilitating such as a stroke or recovery from an operation.
The older we are, the more important rehabilitative therapies become, and they can have a remarkable impact on the individual if implemented effectively. Delivered by experienced healthcare professionals, including nurses and physiotherapists, they help give many people a new lease on life.
What are Rehabilitative Therapies?
Rehabilitative therapies are a group of different approaches to help individuals get back to the way they were before their health problem occurred. These therapies are usually split into three different areas:
Physical therapy
Physical therapy helps to restore things like muscle function and joint movement. For example, if someone has had a stroke, they may have weakness on one side of their body. Physical therapy, including exercises, at regular intervals, can help improve this and restore strength and movement.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is about finding alternative solutions to physical and mental health problems. Unfortunately, some conditions can’t be completely improved by physical therapy. The occupational therapist looks at ways to circumvent everyday challenges. For instance, if someone has lost mobility in their hands and fingers, switching to devices that enable them to open bottles or jars or use a knife and fork can assist them in being independent.
Speech and language therapy
Speech and language therapy are needed for a variety of conditions. If someone has an illness such as motor neuron disease or has had a stroke that has impaired their speech, a language therapist can work with them to improve their communication skills.
All three of these areas will often combine to provide a holistic solution focused on the needs of the individual. Making sure that someone gets access to these services is vital in recovery and ensuring they are able to live life to the full.
The Benefits of Rehabilitative Therapies
All too often we think that, if someone has had a stroke at a certain age, there’s not much that can be done. The truth is that major changes can be brought about by using rehabilitative therapies and people are often amazed at the progress that is made in just a short time.
We offer these therapies at our Wessex Residential homes and believe there is one other big factor that plays a role in recovery. Being in a caring, loving and nurturing environment can make a really huge difference.
If someone is at home alone and trying to cope with health conditions that impact on how they live their daily lives, they can quickly become isolated, especially if the support isn’t there. That, in turn, can have a knock-on effect on their confidence and their ability to recover.
At Wessex Care, our team ensure that residents get the support and care they need to make the best recovery. We work with a wide range of specialists and experts to help with rehabilitative care, whether it’s following an operation or other health condition.
If you would like to find out more about the services that we offer and take a look at one of our residential care homes, contact our friendly team today.
