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What is Gerontological Physiotherapy?
Gerontology is the study of ageing. Gerontological physiotherapy is concerned with physical, mental, and social aspects and implications of ageing. Gerontological physiotherapists focus on the health and wellbeing of older people and supporting them to achieve their health and wellbeing goals. Key goals are achieving and maintaining independence and quality of life.
Gerontological physiotherapists usually work as part of multidisciplinary teams, providing physiotherapy input for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, other healthcare settings and in the community. They have a strong focus on assessing mobility problems and functional needs of older people, identifying rehabilitation goals and providing tailored physiotherapy to restore or maintain movement and function.
Who can they help?
Some examples of gerontological physiotherapy practice include:
- Assessing and reducing the risk of falls
- Assessing and managing frailty
- Assisting recovery from stroke and managing other neurological conditions in older people
- Managing diseases associated with aging like arthritis
- Facilitate safe discharge from care for older people who have been unwell. This might include in-between steps to help a person transition back to home after hospital when they are not ready to go home straight away.
Specialist Gerontological Physiotherapy
Specialist gerontological physiotherapists have attained formal recognition of their expertise via Fellowship of the Australian College of Physiotherapists. This is the highest level of clinical qualification available in Australia.
Specialist gerontological physiotherapists are often involved in providing second opinions or specialist care for people with these more complex conditions associated with ageing. This can work in a variety of different ways. They may provide:
- Shared-care (collaboration with the doctor and local/treating physiotherapist or other health professional)
- Specialist care (a course of treatment delivered by the specialist physiotherapist, potentially as part of a multidisciplinary approach. Common for more complex cases)
- Broader recommendations for management (eg. around diagnosis, recovery expectations and referral to other medical or healthcare specialists).