Sevenoaks care home partners with local physiotherapy company

Gloucester House, a care home with nursing in Sevenoaks, has partnered with local physiotherapy company, Neurorehabilitation Kent, to provide ground-breaking physiotherapy classes to the home’s residents as part of the care package.

Without the encouragement to stay active, many older adults will face a decline in mobility and can become more susceptible to injuries and falls. A physical injury in an older age, such as a fall, is one of the main factors why people need to move to a care home. Even though regular rehabilitation is crucial after the injury, many care homes do not offer physiotherapy programmes as part of their fees. Any necessary physiotherapy is therefore expected to be outsourced privately by the residents and their families.

Neurorehabilitation Kent, the Sevenoaks-based physiotherapy company, has a wealth of experience in care homes, and strives to make their sessions both enjoyable and collaborative within the home. Their sessions are tailored to the individual and can help residents to recover from many different illnesses and circumstances, such as chest infections, falls and fractures, strokes, and hospital admissions.

A representative from the physiotherapy team said: “We work alongside care and activity staff to promote, encourage and support people to remain as able and independent as possible. This means anything from being able to roll over in bed to going for a walk outside with visiting family.”

The team also arranged virtual activities throughout lockdown, such as a ‘walk’ from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Initiatives like this ensure that the sessions are engaging, and that the residents gain as much as possible from the sessions.

The physiotherapists at Neurorehabilitation Kent are also assisting short-term residents at Gloucester House, which is managed by care charity Greensleeves Care. One such resident, Michelle, attributes her recovery from several serious injuries to the physiotherapy programme at Gloucester House.

Home Manager, Bethany Powley, describes the effectiveness of the physiotherapy team in Michelle’s case, saying: “After several months of hard work and dedication from both Michelle and the team here, Michelle recovered well and walked out to return home. She was not only able to gain clinical and nursing support, but she was supported and encouraged to make healthier lifestyle choices."

The appointment of a physiotherapy team within the care home allows for both recovery from injury, and facilitation of an overall healthier lifestyle. One unfortunate commonality within older adults can be self-neglect in areas such as exercise and diet.

The physiotherapy team is therefore able to work alongside the wider team in the care home setting, such as the nurses, carers, and chefs, in order to encourage recuperation from all angles: diet, health, mobility, exercise, and more. This partnership will no doubt improve the daily lives and health of the residents of Gloucester House.

For more information about physiotherapy at Gloucester House, visit: https://www.greensleeves.org.uk/care-homes/gloucester-house-nursing-home-sevenoaks/physiotherapy/