Geriatric

By Sue Antinoro PhysicalTherapistSource.com

I can still remember going to visit my grandmother in her new residence, a nursing home not far from my home, and walking past a room where a number of residents were performing exercises. They really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Both my grandparents were residents of the same nursing homes although they resided there at different times. My grandfather was the first resident living there for 10 years, most of the time with alzheimer's. My grandmother entered the nursing home 5 years after his death. In that space of time I definitely noticed a change in the way the residents occupied their time. For example, I never saw anything close to the "excercise" class, which I later found out was tai chi, offered when my grandfather entered the home. I remember thinking, "my 85 year old grandmother is doing tai chi?!" I came to find out that tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art consisting of a series of slow, gentle, continuous movements, and is particularly suitable for older people as it helps them to develop stronger muscles and better balance and concentration.

Once, while in the nursing home, my grandmother inured her hip and had to undergo physical therapy. The physical therapist who came to attend to my grandmother at the nursing home was one of the nicest and patient people I know. Those who specialize in geriatric physical therapy focus on helping the elderly population recover from injuries and maintain their range of motion by developing their muscles and physical capabilities. They may develop specialized programs to help restore mobility, reduce pain, increase fitness levels and more. Conditions that may be treated through the use of geriatric physical therapy are arthritis, balance disorders, osteoporosis, hip replacement, joint replacement, and more.

One of the newest forms of therapy being utilized by geriatric physical therapists is tai chi which has been proven to reduce the risk of falling in patients. Propopents say it helps bring elderly patiens more independence. A tai chi class held at a nursing home would primarily focus on using a variety of slow stretching exercises and moving the residents’ arms and legs while performing gentle crouches. Of course residents are encouraged to do as much or as little as they feel comfortable doing. Some perform the exercises while standing while others stay seated.

Nursing home residents who take part in a structured program of tai chi have found that their balance and physical strength improve, which in turn reduces the risk of falls, according to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. Researchers found that the physical fitness of the exercise group showed significant improvement, with stronger ankle and knee muscles, improved flexibility and mobility and better balance.

Often times, older people who experience a fall end up with a serious injury such as a fracture. Regular exercise becomes even more important as we get older, since we start losing muscle strength at a rate of up to two percent per year once we reach the age of 65. The use of tai chi by geriatric physical therapists with nursing home residents allows the residents to improve their overall flexibility while giving them a fun approach to staying healthy.