Home > Aged Care > Physiotherapy
Aged Care Physiotherapy
At Guide Healthcare, we believe physiotherapy should play an important part in the lives of all aged care residents.
Our clinicians are dedicated to providing comprehensive assessment and treatment of all residents to work towards their individual goals. Guide physiotherapists can assist residents in improving their strength, mobility, balance, fall risk, confidence, pain experience, quality of life and ability to participate in activities of daily living. Our staff are experts at equipment prescription, return from hospital planning and developing individual rehabilitation programs.
Education & Training
Assessments and Care Plans
Guide clinicians receive comprehensive training on how to conduct physiotherapy and mobility assessments. Our physiotherapists complete all relevant documentation to support effective care. All of our clinicians have a strong understanding of the requirements of AN-ACC, including the importance of accurate mobility classifications and the use of the DEMMI assessment tool.
During our implementation phase, we establish the expectations of our partner homes around the completion of initial assessments the required review periods (3 months, 6 months, 12 months).
We then establish our on-site reporting system, highlighting any residents who are due for a physiotherapy review and then automatically generates review reminders for every resident within the home. This process is established for all relevant assessments and care plans. Our reporting system is submitted to our head office management team each month for review. Remaining compliant with assessment and care plan review timetables is a key KPI for all of our physiotherapists.
Our leadership team are familiar will major computer-based documentation systems and provide comprehensive training to all on-site staff during their orientation period. Homes still using paper-based documentation can choose to adopt our physiotherapy assessment and care plan scaffolds, or we can continue using theirs.
Implementing Our Physiotherapy Programs
Having already established our pain management program, our focus then shifts to ensuring that our programs meet the residents' needs at each home and Aged Care Quality Standards.
During our implementation phase, we spend time with residents to establish their goals and provide their physiotherapy preferences. Residents are offered choice around how they would like to work towards their goals, including:
Program Type
Residents are given the option of individual, small group or large group-based exercise programs.
Treatment Setting
Where they would like to receive their physiotherapy treatment. This could include places like the allocated physiotherapy/gym space or in their own room.
Treatment Type
Residents are given treatment options based on their individual goals and are empowered to make choices around what treatment options best suit them.
Based on our conversations with residents, a unique timetable is then established for each home. Where relevant, specific outcome measures are established to ensure that our programs are being effective and that the resident is moving closer to their goals.
As new residents enter the home, our programs are designed to evolve to ensure that we are constantly adapting to the need and preferences of the current resident population.
Events, Equipment and Experiences
Our “3 E’s” form an important part of our commitment to Social Justice and our passion for “Giving Back”. We want to create an impact that is much greater than just our day-to-day services. We believe our physiotherapy services should allow aged care residents to feel more connected with their community and live beyond the walls of their homes. Each year, the Guide Healthcare team challenge us to create programs and ideas which will bring residents joy, whilst motivating them to participate in exercise-based initiatives.
Events
Each year we run at least 3 events that focus on getting residents moving. Our aim with events is to give residents the motivation to participate in exercise-based programs. Residents then compete for their home against other homes, in things like strong man competitions and marathons. All events are funded by Guide.
Equipment
Our partner homes receive an equipment pack on program implementation worth more than $1200. The pack includes things like kettlebells, medicine balls, battle-ropes and blaze pods. This is designed to allow our clinicians to be effective as well as to allow a program which is varied and enjoyable for residents. Our clinicians have the opportunity to continuously build on their equipment stores through the monthly RISE awards. Each physiotherapist is encouraged to submit an idea, program inclusion or initiative which reflects one or more of our values. If their submission is voted as the best for that month, their home receives $300 worth of equipment of their choice.
Experiences
Aged care homes can be very isolating for residents. We encourage our clinicians to look for opportunities to assist residents to achieve their goals off-site. Our clinicians have organised regular trips to gyms, hydrotherapy sessions and walking groups in local parks. All experiences are funded by Guide.
Contact us.
General Enquiries
admin@guidehealthcare.com.au
02 9663 0387