At Cramond Residence, we have an exclusive partnership with Balanced – Edinburgh’s premier physiotherapy provider.
Our physiotherapy treatments and exercise classes help residents to be more active than perhaps they were when they were at home, when there it is often little opportunity to enjoy the fun of doing exercise in a group environment.
Judith Paterson from Balanced talks about the partnership and the benefits of exercise.
Our physiotherapy package offers all residents an initial assessment, which enables us to tailor the best approach for each individual. Residents then enjoy 45 minutes of private therapy and one group exercise session a week, as well as on-going assessments to make sure that they are receiving the optimal treatment package.
All the sessions focus on promoting mobility and independence. For example, they include exercises that enhance shoulder mobility so that residents can dress themselves more easily and balance exercises which help people to walk more confidently and reduce likelihood of them falling. We also address any aches and pains that residents may have, using traditional physiotherapy techniques such as massage and joint mobilisation and have a dedicated treatment room for this purpose.
Boosting health and independence
We know that if people are more active then they tend to live longer. Physiotherapy and exercise can help prevent or slow the progression of many diseases such as osteoporosis or heart problems. Exercise can also positively enhance independence by helping residents become more active and enabling them to achieve more for themselves.
When it comes to life enjoyment, we believe that mobility and independence play a vital role in ensuring residents feel comfortable and confident. This results in enhanced uptake of activities and outings, thus reinforcing both physical and mental wellbeing
Enhancing wellbeing
Physiotherapy and exercise is a massively important way to promote mental wellbeing – it launches all sorts of feel-good hormones and offers the fun and camaraderie of doing things in groups.
A recent report from the Memory Lab at Heriot Watt University showed that doing exercise can really help our memories – this is particularly true for exercise that requires you to do a pattern of movements. Because of this, exercise is a vital tool to help slow the progression of dementia and to help those living with the condition to live fuller lives.
On arrival at Cramond Residence, each new resident is offered a full physiotherapy assessment. This looks at how they move and balance and their ability to manage day to day activities. We then work with the residents to create a bespoke plan, identify what they would like to achieve and then help them to work towards these goals. Individual plans may include elements such as exercise, massage, moving support and fall prevention classes. Residents are then reassessed every six months to keep plans up to date and tailored to their physical fitness, care need and personal desired outcomes.
Physiotherapy is important for older people, and offers a wide range of benefits. Physio can help people to continue to do the things they love. Exercise strengthens the muscles and improves balance but it also keeps the mind active and helps to boost your mood. For older people specifically, physio can help with many things such as managing pain and improving mobility. The risk of falling increases as you get older but with regular exercise focusing on strength and balance, that risk can be reduced.
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