On the Plus Side

What to Expect with In-Home Physical Therapy

If you recently suffered an injury or illness that left you physically compromised, your doctor may recommend regular physical therapy sessions in order to improve dexterity, reduce pain, and ultimately restore maximum function. Many patients prefer to receive physical therapy at home, an option which allows for optimal privacy, convenience, and exercises tailored to the home environment. During these sessions, a patient may expect the following activities:

Home Accessibility Evaluation

A patient who is physically compromised needs a safe living environment in order to feel confident while attempting to expand his or her capabilities. For this reason, one of the first things your physical therapist will do when visiting your home is assess its safety and provide suggestions for improvement. Commonly recommended changes include removing tripping hazards, such as throw rugs or low furniture, installing grab bars within the bathroom, and modifying furniture for ease of use.

Therapeutic Exercises

In order to increase the strength and range of motion of the affected body parts, a physical therapist will help you perform a variety of exercises, which may range from supported walking to light weightlifting and balance drills. Depending on the cause of your injury, you may also undergo orthopedic manual physical therapy, in which your muscles and joints are manipulated to reduce pain, or neurodevelopmental treatment, which involves an analysis of your physical abilities and subsequent relearning of motor control.

Medical Device Assessment

If your physical therapist deems it necessary, your treatment plan may include medical devices, such as orthotics or prosthetics. You will be thoroughly educated on the proper use of these items and evaluated regularly to monitor your progress.

To schedule your first in-home physical therapy session, please call Independence Plus at (708) 366-4500. We also offer skilled private duty nursing services and respiratory home medical equipment set-up to make your rehabilitation as easy and comfortable as possible.

Signs You Should Call Independence Plus for Health Care

When a patient has acute medical needs that do not require indefinite hospitalization, he or she may feel more comfortable being cared for at home by a clinician. Use the following guide to determine whether Independence Plus’ home care services can help in your situation:

• Discharged with Chronic Health Needs
  If your loved one is stable enough to leave the hospital, yet still requires nursing care, Independence Plus’ private duty nurses can help ensure that he or she receives the necessary medical attention. Whether the patient has neurological damage, a severe injury, or a degenerative condition, our nursing team can minimize you and your family’s stress by providing quality care up to 24 hours a day.
• Mechanical Ventilation Is Required
  Thanks to portable home ventilators, patients with acute respiratory needs can enjoy increased mobility and freedom. Family caregivers who are uncertain how to operate a ventilator can benefit from calling Independence Plus—we have licensed respiratory therapist available to review your loved one’s needs, assemble the required medical equipment within your home, and educate you and your family on its proper use.
• Physical Therapy Is Necessary Due to Limited Mobility
  Patients with severe mobility issues usually prefer to receive rehabilitation in the comfort of their own home. This arrangement can be mutually beneficial because it enables the physical therapist to evaluate and address accessibility challenges within the home, as well as use household objects and furniture to design appropriate exercises.

For skilled private duty nursing, home health visits, and respiratory home medical equipment, home ventilator care, and convenient physical and occupational therapy, contact Independence Plus at (708) 366-4500. We have been helping patients receive quality home care for 25 years.

Learn More About Chronic Medical Needs and How Independence Plus Can Help At Home!

Our recent articles have discussed living with chronic medical needs after being discharged from the hospital and how homecare services can help. Call Independence Plus at (708) 366-4500 to learn how we can assist you and your loved ones.

• For an explanation of the factors involved in the Better Business Bureau’s rating system, visit this page from BBB.org.
• Find detailed information on traumatic brain injury, including how it is detected and what outcomes may be expected, at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide an overview of severe traumatic brain injury and how it may affect patients.
• This journal article from the U.S. National Library of Medicine explores the relatively new classification of minimally conscious state to describe patients who have emerged from a vegetative state but not yet progressed into total consciousness.
• This comprehensive pamphlet from the World Health Association covers a variety of ways to maintain independence after a spinal cord injury.

TED Talk: Take Health Care Off the Mainframe

As the Baby Boom generation ages, affordable and effective health care is becoming an increasingly large priority. This interesting and informative lecture explains how everyday technology can help monitor the stability of a person’s condition and why home health care is an important way to preserve the health and wellbeing of elderly patients.

The idea that patients should travel to one main location, such as a hospital, to receive health care began in 1787 and persists to this day. However, just as computing has gradually shifted from large, expert-operated mainframes to everyday personal devices, health care needs to transition to proactive, home-based services. This will lower costs, prevent the onset of certain chronic conditions, and minimize medical errors fostered by the use of multiple impersonal clinicians.

Find out more about how home health care services can benefit your family by calling Independence Plus at (708) 366-4500. We offer skilled private duty nursing services, home health visits, and home medical equipment.

What an A+ from the Better Business Bureau Means for Your Home Health Care

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is an organization formed to help foster trust between businesses and consumers by rewarding good business practices and encouraging companies to resolve customer complaints. Independence Plus holds an A-plus grade from the BBB, which is the highest honor bestowed on a business seen to have flawless consumer practices. For a home health care client, this means:

No Unresolved Complaints

Independence Plus has no complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, which represents our commitment to client satisfaction. In order to receive an A-plus BBB rating, a business must either have no complaints or have demonstrated an appropriate response or resolution to each complaint. Our lack of complaint history demonstrates our proactive attitude toward home health care and our dedication to meeting patients’ needs. 

Long-Established Services

Because a longstanding business is likely to have a more reliable reputation, the BBB includes a business’ time in operation when forming a grade. Independence Plus has been in business for 25 years, during which time we have offered consistently high-quality home care services designed to enable patients with chronic medical needs to remain in the comfort of their own homes, rather than endure long-term hospitalization.

Proper Licensing

In order to receive a top grade, a business must have up-to-date versions of the necessary licensing and certification. Independence Plus easily meets this criterion, as we are accredited by CHAP, the Community Health Accreditation Program; licensed by the State of Illinois; and certified by Medicare. In addition, our skilled private duty nurses are either registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or certified nursing assistants, and our home respiratory services are provided by licensed respiratory care practitioners. We also employ professional rehabilitative therapists and medical social workers so our families can feel confident that their loved ones are receiving highly qualified medical care.

For more information about Independence Plus’ values and certifications, or to learn how we can help your loved one remain safely and comfortably at home through our home health services, call (708) 366-4500.