Therapy and Rehab
Physiotherapy
If you or someone you know is finding it increasingly difficult to stay active, move about your home due to pain, weakness, decreased mobility or fear of falling, a physiotherapist may be able to help. Physiotherapists are regulated health care professionals who assess physical abilities, such as mobility, strength, endurance, balance and range of motion. Following an assessment, they will work with you to develop a personalized treatment program to help you improve physical function, restore movement and reduce limitations to mobility, while continuing to monitor and assess your progress. Additionally, this can include providing you with the necessary equipment such as a walker to trial for short periods of time (usually less than 30 days), and if eligible, will assist Ontario Health atHome patients with funding applications for specific equipment under the Assistive Devices Program.
Physiotherapists will also help educate and train family members and caregivers on how to best support you to maintain your independence with detailed home exercise programs. In preparation for discharge from physiotherapy services, the physiotherapist will ensure that the patient has a home exercise program they can continue independently or with the support of their family members or caregivers.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists are regulated health care professionals who help support independence and safety when it becomes more challenging to manage daily activities such as bathing, dressing, preparing meals or using a walker or wheelchair. These therapists will assess your abilities in relation to your daily activities and home environment, and work with you to develop a plan to help you live safely and independently. For example, this can include recommending changes to improve home accessibility, using assistive devices and transfer aids, as well as developing and teaching strategies and new skills to help you avoid a dangerous fall and maintain your independence.
Occupational therapists can help identify helpful resources and provide education and training to family members and caregivers on strategies to safely support your mobility, transfers and daily care in your home when assistance is required. They can also facilitate short-term trials (usually less than 30 days) of necessary home safety equipment, and if eligible, will assist patients with funding applications for specific equipment under the Assistive Devices Program and/or other funding programs.
Speech-Language Pathology
Speech-language pathologists provide individualized care to meet the needs of people with communication and/or swallowing difficulties, which occur as a result of stroke, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, dementia or other causes.
If you are experiencing such difficulties, the speech-language pathologist will evaluate your physical swallowing ability while taking other factors that affect swallowing into account, provide recommendations to optimize your swallowing safety and comfort for food, fluids and/or pills, as well as promote energy conservation and adequate food/fluid intake. This often involves recommending modified food textures and fluid consistencies, teaching compensatory strategies, identifying potential further testing and/or referrals needed, working closely with other care team members, and/or recommending diet upgrades when appropriate.
For communication needs, the speech-language pathologist will work with you to determine your specific goals and plan of care. This may include formal or informal assessment(s), therapy and/or educating you on other various beneficial strategies. Areas of need could include verbal and written language skills (such as understanding others, finding the right words to express yourself, reading, texting), cognitive-communication skills (such as using a calendar, memory retention or problem-solving), speech or voice production, augmentative-alternative communication systems and/or providing strategies and education to your communication partners.
