A friend, a child, a spouse, sibling or a parent that’s receiving physical therapy as part of the recovery process can definitely use every type of help. It’s important to recognize their struggle in trying to get better and how, oftentimes, the slowed-down pace of pretty much everything in their lives can be intensely frustrating. Healing, especially from a serious condition, takes so much time, and more often than not, the psychological impact is much greater than the physical. This is why a lot of facilities that offer physical therapy also include psychiatric services because compromised physical functioning definitely affects more than the physical.
If you have loved ones undergoing physical therapy and are hurting physically, mentally and emotionally, the little things you can do for them will definitely be appreciated. And if you have that burden in your heart to somehow make things better for them but you just don’t know what to do or how to go about your ideas to help, here are some of the tips Midtown, NY therapists believe can help immensely.
- Most of the time, a session of physical therapy Midtown NY therapists claim, can be very tiring for the patients. Offering to drive them to and from the facility and preparing the vehicle well for a comfortable ride (like providing support cushions)will give them one less thing to worry about.
- Giving advice usually sounds helpful, but don’t. People who are physically suffering tend to find pieces of advice annoying; what you can do instead is be a really good listening ear, especially when they really just want to vent.
- As much as possible, do not make them come to you for help anymore – just make it appear like you’ve already got them covered. For example, it’s so much better to ask “What can I bring/do for you?” instead of saying “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.” Also, if you want to help with therapy, learning how to assist the movements of patients can help. Most physical therapists are willing to teach concerned family members how exercises for the patients can be assisted.
- Offer to do those chores that the patient just cannot take care of anymore such as taking and picking up the kids to and from school, doing the laundry, preparing dinner after the physical therapy session, or doing the grocery.
- Come up with something that the patients can look forward to or will serve as a nice surprise, especially when they’re feeling better, like lunch dates, dinners, a trip to the spa for some relaxation and beautification for girls, or a movie marathon of their favorite flicks.
It’s going to be a lot of work, but what’s really special about going through challenging times is knowing how there are people who can always be relied on even when words are not said.
