Senatobia Healthcare & Rehab News Blog

How to Help Organize & Store My Aging Parent’s Photos & Documents

organize photos and documents

If you have aging parents, you know how daunting the task of helping them organize their belongings can be. Still, it’s a critical part of being realistic about the aging process. It’s best to organize things like photos and documents before your parents go into a healthcare facility or nursing home. If you don’t, it can become a big job down the road.

Here’s your complete guide to helping your parents get organized this year.

How (and why) to Organize Old Photos

Old photos contain precious family memories, so keeping them close is essential. If your parents are the type to snap photos everywhere they go, it could also be a big task. With that in mind, follow these tips to organize old photos:

  • Divide and conquer. If your parents have boxes and boxes of photos, don’t try to conquer them all at once. Instead, start with a single box. Dividing this job into smaller tasks makes it easier to complete.
  • Sort. Sort the photos according to your system of choice. This could mean family, friends, years, or holidays.
  • Dump duplicates. If you come across duplicate (or similar) photos, keep the one that you like best, and get rid of the others. This cuts down on clutter without sacrificing memories.
  • Store. Store photos in a format that makes sense to you. It could take the form of photo books, marked photo boxes, or scrapbooks.

Organizing Documents

If your parent finds themselves in an emergency healthcare situation, you might realize you don’t have the documents and paperwork you need. As such, it’s smart to collect all official records before an emergency. 

Here are a few of the essential documents you’ll need to keep track of:

  • Birth certificate
  • Driver’s license
  • Social security card
  • Medicare or Medicaid insurance coverage card
  • Organ donor card
  • Marriage certificate
  • Credit cards
  • Mortgage records
  • Military records
  • Legal POA, Living Will, Advanced Directives, etc. 
  • Safe-deposit box information, including the name of the owner of the box, a note of the location of the key, as well as a list of the contents and the names of everyone who has access to it
  • Tax returns
  • Insurance policy docs
  • Stocks, bonds, real estate, and other investment information

Finally, your parents will need to make a list of essential contacts and accounts. If your parents become unable to speak or make decisions for themselves, you should know how to access bank accounts, loans, credit cards, insurance profiles, and any other accounts your parents have. 

You should also know how to get in touch with their attorney, financial planner, broker, and anyone else who knows about or controls your parent’s trusts, wills, and finances. 

Get Organized Now to Avoid Problems Later

Although it may feel like a daunting task to organize boxes of old photos and documents, it’s crucial. If you can get your parents to help, you can enjoy a walk down memory lane together. 

Additionally, getting your parents organized before a health problem helps them be more relaxed. It also helps them focus on healing and getting better when they are in the hospital or a care facility.

Here at Senatobia Healthcare, we’re happy to help you and your parents get organized, and how you can prepare – as a Mississippi family – for the next big transition. Contact us today to learn more. 

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Dementia & Sleep Problems: Causes & Solutions

sleep problems

For people with Alzheimer’s, sleep doesn’t always come easily. As the brain changes, so, too, does a person’s nightly sleep schedule. While these changes are a normal part of developing dementia, they can harm the quality of life for the person affected. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help your loved one cope with sleep problems, both now and in the future.

Here’s what you need to know. 

Sleep Changes and Alzheimer’s

As we age, our relationship with sleep begins to change. Even in adults without symptoms of dementia, getting a restful 7-8 hours of sleep each night can feel like an impossible task. When dementia is present, though, sleep changes tend to become more pronounced. While symptoms vary, people with dementia may experience:

  • Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. People with dementia wake up more often throughout the night, and frequently have trouble getting back to sleep once they’re awake. Brain wave studies on affected patients have revealed decreases in dreaming and non-dreaming sleep phases. When a person cannot sleep, they may wander, become restless, or cry out for their caregivers at night. 
  • Disruptions in the sleep/wake cycle. People with Alzheimer’s may feel tired during the day, but lie awake all night. Sometimes, they experience a phenomenon known as “sundowning,” which causes them to feel agitated in the early evening. In extreme cases, people may experience a complete reversal of regular sleep/wake cycles, sleeping all day, and lying awake all night. 

How You Can Help Resolve Sleep Problems

When it comes to treating sleep disruption in people with Alzheimer’s or dementia, there are two primary approaches: medical and non-medical. Most caregivers recommend starting with non-medical methods, which include the following:

  • Stat and maintain a daily schedule, with regular times for meals, going to bed, and waking up.
  • Strive for early morning sunlight exposure. Going for a walk outside is a great option, but opening the home’s curtains and blinds will work, too.
  • Encourage regular daily exercise, and make sure the session is finished no later than four hours before bedtime. 
  • Discourage consumption of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.
  • If your loved one takes a cholinesterase inhibitor, start giving the medication in the morning rather than at night. 
  • Avoid having television and computer screens in the bedroom. 
  • Treat any underlying sources of wakefulness, such as pain or depression.

If the above non-medical approaches don’t help as much as you’d hoped, consider talking to your loved one’s doctor about medications for sleep problems. In many cases, sleep-inducing medications can help take the edge off the situation and provide more restful nights for everyone involved. 

Nursing Home Care: A Loving Option

If you care for your loved one at home and are finding it challenging to keep up with their changing needs, Senatobia Healthcare is here for you. One of the premier nursing home facilities in Mississippi, we specialize in helping patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia live healthy, happy, fulfilling lives. Contact us today to learn more about our long-term care programs and how we can help you. 

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How Dancing Can Heal the Aging Brain

dancing can heal the brain

Of all the things that are inevitable in life, aging is one of them. No matter how young you might feel, our brains age, and there’s not much we can do to stop it. Fortunately, the quality of life doesn’t have to go downhill with aging. There are things you can do to decrease the effects of aging on the brain.

One of them, as it turns out, is as simple as dancing

How Dancing Impacts the Brain

Think you can dance your way to a healthier brain? You might be right, and science is here to back you up. With normal aging, approximately 40% of people aged 65 and older will experience some degree of memory loss. If a condition like Dementia or Alzheimer’s is present, memory loss becomes more pronounced. 

Fortunately, recent studies have shown that regular exercise (and dancing, specifically) can help you maintain a healthy, youthful body and brain. Consider these findings:

  • According to a study published in the journal “Frontiers in Human Neuroscience,” dancing is more effective than other physical activities at reversing aging in the brain.
  • The same study examined MRI brain scans and age-related brain degeneration. The study took place over 18 months and looked at the effects of dancing compared to other forms of exercise. It found that 68-year-old people (the study’s average age) saw dramatic improvements in brain structure after participating in weekly dance classes.
  • Most of the benefits of dancing appear in the brain’s hippocampus area, which is known to be most impacted by age-related declines. This is excellent news for people who have Alzheimer’s and other age-related illnesses. 

How to Dance Your Brain Back to Health

If you’ve suffered a stroke or a condition like Alzheimer’s, dancing is a great way to facilitate rehabilitation and restore the function of the brain. Here are a few ways to incorporate dancing as a healthcare method:

  • Join a dance class. According to recent research, participating in choreographed dance routines can boost endurance, flexibility, and balance, while also triggering increased activity in the brain.
  • Try a new style of dance. In the “Frontiers in Human Neuroscience” study, people who participated in Jazz and Latin-American dancing showed dramatic improvement in brain structure after weekly choreographed classes. With this in mind, try a new style of dance to keep things fresh.
  • Start slow. For people who have had strokes or are suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia, enrolling in a dance class might be biting off too much all at once. In situations like these, starting slow is ideal. 

Dance Your Way to Healthy Living

Aging doesn’t have to be a downward spiral. Regardless of what your current state of health is, you can be empowered by doing certain activities and living healthy. These activities will slow down the negative aspects of aging and allow you to enjoy the positive. Dancing, specifically, is a great way to promote rehabilitation. Ranging from improved muscle movement and brain activity to better balance and more. 

Here at Senatobia, we specialize in helping you preserve and reclaim your health. Contact us today to learn more about our professional rehabilitation services

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Steps to Take When Your Aging Parents Need Help

aging parents care

Our parents: they’re the people who raised us. We know them as the ones who were quirky, funny, energetic, or stern. So when they start to get older, the role reversal can be a bit jarring. Suddenly you’re the one caring for them. Aging parents have needs our younger parents didn’t, and many of us struggle to differentiate between normal aging and signs that someone might need help. If you’ve found yourself in this position, here’s your guide to determining when it’s time to step in.

3 Steps to Determine When Your Aging Parents Need More Support

Is it time for nursing care? Maybe your parents need an aide to come to the house a few days a week. Here are a few easy ways to determine how much help your parents need:

1. Be Honest About Their Needs

Dealing with aging can be emotional. To help all parties involved see things more clearly, sit down and assess your parents’ needs.

Are they still safe? Can they take care of their medical and personal needs, like medication and bathing/dressing? What’s the state of their health? Can they prepare their meals and get around the house? The answers to these questions will help you determine what level of assistance, if any, they need.

2. Assess Your Own Needs

As parents get older, the assumption is that friends and family will step in to provide caregiving services. Often, however, the burden of caregiving is too great. Picking it up means the loved one or friend will sacrifice their own responsibilities.

In these cases, it’s wiser to bring in a healthcare professional to tend to the aging party. This may mean moving your parents into nursing care or simply hiring a home care professional.

3. Have a Conversation

Talking to your parents about aging is a difficult process, but it must be done. 

Instead of making decisions behind their back, involve them in the process. How are they feeling? Do they believe they need additional assistance? Are there specific tasks that are difficult for them? Communication is key to ensuring all needs are met. It’s also the most compassionate way to move through this tender season of life. 

If you find that you can’t talk to your parents on your own, consider taking them to tour a nursing care facility. Intake coordinators at these facilities are excellent at navigating these tough conversations and will give you both some things to think about. 

The Next Steps for Your Parents

While many people take serious illness as a sign that their parents need assistance, you don’t have to wait that long. By following the three steps laid out above, you can approach the reality of your aging parents with grace and integrity.

If you have questions about aging care and support, contact Senatobia Healthcare today. We’re happy to help you learn more about our programs and long-term care offerings.

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Hip Fractures: How to Prevent and Treat Them

Hip Fractures Rehabilitation

The hip fracture: it may seem like a mild injury. In truth, it can be incredibly dangerous. Each year, more than 300,000 Americans ages 65 and older are hospitalized due to hip fractures. Even worse, these hospitalizations can lead to numerous other complications, like treatment-resistant infections and pneumonia. 

When it comes to hip fractures, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here’s what you and your elderly loved ones need to know about preventing hip fractures both now and in the future.

How Hip Fractures Happen

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling – typically by falling sideways. While women experience three-quarters of all hip fractures, both men and women fracture their hips for many of the same reasons. 

Ice, uneven ground, household obstacles, and interference by pets and kids are the primary culprits. The risk of hip fractures goes up with aging – doubling with every five-year increase after the age of 50. By 90 years old, one in four women and one in eight men have fractured a hip.

Preventing Hip Fractures

Since hip fractures are so painful and difficult to recover from, it’s smart to be proactive about preventing them from happening in the first place. 

Here are a few ways to do just that:

Work With Your Doctor

Your healthcare provider is your primary line of defense when it comes to hip fractures. A doctor will educate you about your risk of falling and ways to avoid incidents. The doctor should review all the medications you’re taking to ensure there are no interactions between them that could cause dizziness or fatigue.

Finally, a doctor will screen you for osteoporosis and recommend a Vitamin D supplement to strengthen bones and improve density.

Stay Fit

Strength and balancing exercises (like moderate weight lifting and yoga) will both go a long way to prevent hip fractures. According to studies conducted and published by Harvard Health, just twelve minutes of yoga practice each day is enough to reverse and prevent osteoporotic bone loss. 

If yoga isn’t your thing, turn to other exercises like walking, strength training, or swimming to maintain your range of motion, improve stability, and prevent injury.

Make Your Home Safer

In-home obstacles are a significant factor behind many hip fractures. It’s tough to stay safe, for example, if you’re always worried about tripping over loose carpets or slipping down the stairs. With this in mind, here are a few simple tips to make your home safer:

  • Get rid of items you could trip over – clutter is a primary culprit 
  • Add grab bars to the bathroom, specifically on the sides of the toilet and the outside of the shower or bathtub
  • Add railings to both sides of the stairs to prevent slipping
  • Increase visibility by adding more lights throughout your home

Rehab Old Injuries

If you’ve suffered a hip fracture in the past, proper rehabilitation is critical to preventing it from happening again. An excellent rehabilitation facility will offer the occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) you need to get stronger. If you live in a nursing care facility, tell the staff about your old injury (Assuming it did not happen at the facility). They’ll be able to put together a recovery plan that works for you.  

Looking for a healthcare and rehab center for education and recovery services? Contact Senatobia Healthcare today to learn more about our programs and offerings.

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What is the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PPDM) Taking Effect in October 2019?

Patient Driven Payment Model

2019 is underway, and now is a great time to think about the changes that are coming down the pipe from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These new patient-driven payment model rules affect Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and Home Health Providers. Here’s what you need to know about how these healthcare changes will affect nursing homes in the coming months.

The Patient-Driven Payment Model: SNF Medicare Payments

The most significant change facing this segment of the healthcare industry is the patient-driven payment model, which is slated to roll out October of 2019. According to CMS, this model places a new emphasis “on the patient’s condition and resulting care needs. Rather than on the amount of care provided to determine Medicare payment.”

The change presents a noticeable shift toward value for nursing home and therapy facilities. Which means skilled nursing facilities will now have an incentive to evaluate a person’s total condition before determining whether or not that person is receiving the right care.

This promotes a more cohesive care model and disincentivizes care models where every task is carefully recorded and submitted for payment. Which is creating a waterfall of paperwork that’s virtually impossible to keep up with.

The 3 Primary Impacts of PDPM on Nursing Facilities

According to Optima Healthcare Solutions, PDPM will affect establishments in the following three ways:

  1. Managing care. Unlike RUG-IV, which prompts high-volume care, PDPM will require establishments to pay close attention to how they deliver services. If a facility over-delivers therapy, it won’t be paid for the care that was provided. Likewise, under-delivering therapy in a way that leads to poor patient outcomes will result in potential Medicare audits and take-backs.
  2. Staffing. Thanks to the reduction of total therapy minutes, there will be a decreased demand for therapists in the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) setting. This, in turn, will reduce the labor shortage companies trying to find qualified staff experience. It will also make it easier for facilities to locate and retain top therapy talent.
  3. Financial. The mission of PDPM is to be budget neutral, which is especially likely in SNFs. Thanks to some new nursing allocations, SNFs are going to be able to offset the loss in therapy reimbursement with reimbursement for the nursing care that is already being provided.

The Positive Changes For Rehabilitation Facilities

According to most therapy settings, the introduction of the new patient-driven payment model is a good thing. This allows nursing home staff and care teams to take a more holistic, better-rounded approach to care. CMS is aiming to emphasize patient outcomes while also reducing the likelihood of penalties.

While care staff at Senatobia and throughout Mississippi will still have to use due diligence to classify patients. CMS will be there to help guide care and provide reimbursement thresholds for rehabilitation facilities. This program has the potential to positively impact both customers and care providers alike. Our team here at Senatobia looks forward to seeing what else the industry has in store for the coming year.

Want to learn more about the PDPM? Contact Senatobia today to find out how it will impact you or your loved one in care.

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Caregiver Self-Care: 4 Ways Caregivers Can Support Themselves

caregiver selfcare support

If you’ve ever acted as a caregiver for a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s, you know how important it is for caregivers to protect their health as they care for their patients. In fact, it’s critical.

Today, caregivers are much more likely than non-caregivers to succumb to a wide assortment of health issues, including anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Today, 15.7 million family members are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. What’s more, 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care in the last 12 months. These caregivers spend an average of 13 days each month on caregiving tasks. 46% of them perform medical and nursing tasks, and 96% provide help with ADLs. These caregivers provide critical care. Unfortunately, they also have incredibly high rates of burnout and stress-related illnesses.

If caregivers are going to avoid these conditions, and provide the comprehensive care their patients deserve, self-care is essential.

How Caregiver Health Impacts Patient Care

Caring for adults with neurodegenerative diseases can be exhausting.

Coping with things like wandering and behavioral issues can leave you stressed and sleep-deprived. In time, this can lead to serious mental and emotional health issues, including anxiety and depression.

As it stands today, caregivers (both family and nursing home-based caregivers) are 4x more likely than their counterparts to experience depression, and three times more likely to seek treatment for anxiety. While these conditions have devastating impacts on the caregiver, they can also impact the quality of patient care, and create a dangerous environment for both caregivers and patients.

4 Ways Caregivers can Practice Self-Care

We’ve all heard the saying that we need to put our oxygen masks on, first, before we can help other people. Nowhere is this more true than caregiving. When you get the support you need, patients, caregivers, and families thrive.

With that in mind, here are four ways to care for yourself, in the midst of your demanding job:

  1. Be Realistic About Limitations. You’re not an island, and nobody can do everything on their own. As such, it’s critical for caregivers to understand their limitations and learn to ask for help. Accepting limitations is a great way to avoid burnout and the issues that come with it.
  2. Prioritize. Prioritizing is an excellent way to avoid missing out on the things that are most important to you. If you know that spending time with friends refreshes and recharges you, make sure you’re prioritizing this and creating time for it in your life.
  3. Know Your Resources. There are dozens of resources out there for caregivers, and knowing what they are can help you avoid burnout. Local resources like support groups and interim care can help you ensure excellent patient care, while also giving yourself the support you need.
  4. Take Care of Your Body. If you’re not getting enough sleep, food, or water, it will be virtually impossible to be a great caregiver. With this in mind, make sure you’re getting to the gym, eating healthy, well-rounded meals, and making time for sleep. If your body doesn’t work, nothing else will, either.

Caring for the Caregiver

Caregivers have a challenging job, and self-care is a critical part of performing it well.

If you’re a caregiver and are looking for ways to provide better care, contact Senatobia Healthcare & Rehab. Our nurses and caregivers receive ongoing training and attention, so they’re excellent resources for learning, support, and, in the event your loved one needs it, assisted living. Caregiving is one of the world’s most challenging and rewarding jobs, and it’s at the center of what we do.

Contact us today to learn more.

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Understanding the Difference Between Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia and Alzheimer's

As we age, most of us expect to lose some functionality. We know that our muscles will change, that we may experience balance issues, that we’ll probably stop driving at some point, and that many of us will need help and may wind up in some form of assisted living.

But what about our mental capabilities?

If you’re familiar with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, you know that these common conditions can affect people as they age. What most people don’t understand, though, is how common these conditions are or that there are actually some very important differences between the two.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

While most people group Alzheimer’s and dementia into a single bucket, they’re not the same disease. While dementia is a blanket term used to describe a host of disorders that affect memory, daily activities, and performance, Alzheimer’s is a more specific kind of dementia. In fact, it is the most common type of dementia. Right now, Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. It’s also important to remember that Alzheimer’s is a disease and dementia is a syndrome.

While it’s possible for young people to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, the risk for each increases dramatically during the aging process. Additionally, people can have more than one type of dementia, while Alzheimer’s is a single condition.

Signs of Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Wondering how to spot the early indicators of dementia or Alzheimer’s in yourself or a loved one? Here are the signs to watch for:

  • Memory Loss. No matter how old you are, it’s normal to experience occasional, mild memory loss. These “brain farts” don’t impact your overall life or put other people in danger. They’re as simple as forgetting your keys or being temporarily unable to recall someone’s name. Memory loss related to Alzheimer’s or dementia, however, is quite severe and ongoing and will disrupt your daily life. Think things like leaving the stove on or getting lost while you drive.

  • Challenges With Everyday Tasks. If everyday tasks, like paying bills, getting dressed, cleaning the house, or cooking a meal have suddenly become difficult, it’s time to take notice. Alzheimer’s and dementia both cause concentration and focus difficulties that become more severe over time.

  • Confusion About Time or Place. While it’s normal to think it’s Thursday when it’s actually Wednesday, it’s not normal to lose track of dates, passages of time, or seasons. These are some of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Senatobia Healthcare: Your Partner in Dementia Care

Nobody wants to experience dementia. This condition affects about 5% of the older population, though, and rates are expected to double by 2020. If you or a loved one are experiencing early signs of dementia, Senatobia Healthcare can provide the resources, information about possible treatments, and care you need to keep life moving forward. Contact us today to learn more.

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How to Understand and Cope with the Aging Process

aging process

Betty Friedan once said, “Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” Unfortunately, it can be tough to see it that way when you’re right in the midst of it, or when you’re watching a loved one move through the aging process.

Between limited physical abilities, changing lifestyles and bodies, and the mental and emotional challenges that come with growing older, it’s no wonder aging can be so difficult for everyone affected by it.

Fortunately, it is possible to navigate the aging process gracefully and to help your loved ones do the same. Here’s what you need to know:

What Happens During the Aging Process?

The process of getting older is filled with seemingly baffling changes and shifts. Here are some of the most common, according to MedLine:

“As aging continues, waste products build up in tissue… Connective tissue changes, becoming stiffer. This makes the organs, blood vessels, and airways more rigid. Cell membranes change, so many tissues have more trouble getting oxygen and nutrients and removing carbon dioxide and other wastes. Many tissues lose mass. This process is called atrophy. Some tissues become lumpy (nodular) or more rigid. Because of cell and tissue changes, organs also change as you age. Aging organs slowly lose function. Most people do not notice this loss immediately, because you rarely need to use your organs to their fullest ability.”

Because of these physical changes, many people also lose independence during the aging process, moving out of their family homes and into long – or short-term care facilities.

How to Help Your Parents Through the Aging Process

Currently, there are about 10 million adult children in the U.S. who are caring for their aging parents. If you’re one of them, you’re probably looking for any tips you can find about how to help your parents navigate their golden years as enjoyable as possible. Here are a few things our staff recommends:

  • Enlist Community Support. It takes a village to help someone age gracefully. With this in mind, don’t be afraid to enlist the support of your friends or family. Have the neighbor check on your parents when you’re out of town, start a meal train, and encourage your parents to get involved with community events and activities to stay active and sharp.

  • Keep up With Doctor’s Visits. As your parents get older, be sure they’re keeping up on their doctor’s appointments. This is a great way to prevent needless issues from arising and detect small problems before they become big ones.

  • Look for Warning Signs. Helping your parents age is as much about looking for danger signs as it is promoting independence. If your parent starts wandering, getting lost, forgetting things like time, dates, or directions, or exhibiting behavior that is likely to be dangerous to themselves or someone else, it’s time to call in additional help. In these cases, physical therapy, a nursing home, and other such resources can help prevent or reverse declining health.

Aging Can be Graceful

Here at Senatobia Health Care, we are a short and long-term care facility.  Our goal is to help slow the aging process and promote health and wellbeing (for older adults and the children of aging parents, as well), well into the golden years. Call us today to learn how our Mississippi caregivers can help you or a loved one stay healthy and independent for as long as possible.

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What You Should Know About Physical Therapy

physical therapy benefits

Here’s what you need to know about the process of working with physical therapists, and how critical the process is to healthcare as a whole.

For many people, the idea of physical therapy is a foreign one. Often associated with accidents, strokes and aging, it is frequently seen as something designed for people with extreme injuries or illnesses.  But did you know that its benefits extend far beyond rehabilitation? Yes – physical therapy can help you heal from a traumatic health event, but it can also strengthen muscles, promote independence, and encourage better balance and improved health.

The Benefits of Physical Therapy

While physical therapy is an effective treatment for people recovering from accidents or strokes, its benefits stretch far beyond that. According to the National Institutes of Health, physical therapy can improve balance and strength and boost overall fitness and mobility. These are things that all aging people can benefit from, as each of those perks will promote independence and long-term comfort and health.

Want to learn more? Here are a few other benefits of PT:

  • Improved Balance. Did you know that adults lose 10% of their strength and balance for every decade that passes after the 30s? As it stands now, one in four Americans over the age of 65 will fall each year. Falling is currently one of the primary risks facing the aging population. Fortunately, physical therapy can help reduce this risk. By improving balance and strength, PT can make falls less likely and promote long-term health.
  • Better Social Interaction. Senior isolation can be a real risk for the mental and emotional health of the aging population. Fortunately, physical therapy provides structure and social interaction, both of which can promote happiness and wellbeing.
  • Independence. Even for seniors who have not suffered an accident or stroke, physical therapy promotes wellbeing and can help support independence. Because of this, many seniors who want to live on their own for as long as possible utilize physical therapy as a prophylactic measure.

How to Get the Most out of Physical Therapy

Are you or a loved one considering physical therapy? If so, there are a few simple “rules” that will help you get the most out of the process. The first is to maintain a positive attitude.

Physical therapy can be a tough process, and it will push your physical boundaries. No matter how hard it gets, though, it’s critical to maintain a healthy attitude and be positive about your course of treatment. This will improve your results and help you create the change you want to see.

Maintaining open communication is also essential. Your relationship with your physical therapist will become a close one. Ask the questions you have about your health and treatment. Express your concerns and roadblocks. Be grateful for your changes. As you move through your therapy process, this communication will help ensure you’re getting a comprehensive treatment plan that works for you.

Physical Therapy: A Critical Form of Healthcare

For seniors, stroke survivors, anyone who has suffered an accident, and people who simply want to promote independence, physical therapy is a great option. Designed to promote balance, graceful aging, and long-term strength and mobility, PT is good for the mind, body, and heart.

At Senatobia Healthcare and Rehab we honor and appreciate the hard work of our PT’s and PTA’s.  Every year during the month of October is National Physical Therapy Month (#ChoosePT).  This is an especially opportune time to celebrate and  “Thank a Physical Therapist”!

To learn more about physical therapy or to speak with one of our experienced physical therapists, contact our team today!

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