Physiotherapy for older patients

Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis and weak bones, bed sores, balance problems, falls and fall prevention, difficulty walking, care of a bedridden patient at home.

In Pakistan an older parent usually lives at home and a son or daughter is doing the caring. So these pages are written for both of you. They cover the practical things: how to turn someone every two hours without hurting your own back, how to size a walking stick, which parts of the house cause the falls.

Half of what decides how an older patient does is what happens at home between appointments. That is where the teaching goes.

Many of these patients cannot reasonably get to a clinic. Home visits are available in Khanpur and nearby. Ask on WhatsApp and you will be told honestly whether a visit is practical.

Someone falls and cannot put weight through a hip. Someone becomes suddenly confused. A bed sore is open, smells, or has hot red skin around it. A bedridden patient develops a fever or sudden breathlessness. Anyone develops sudden weakness or a change in speech.