Restorative care aide hopes to help seniors redeleop mobility skills
Friday, November 4, 2005 -- Craig Anderson
After becoming a restorative care aide at Village Green in 2001, Carol Crockford began to note how common it was for residents, especially those who were sedentary or had recently suffered an injury, to lose their physical capabilities rapidly.

Although her job requires her to assist seniors in maintaining their physical capabilities through exercise and physiotherapy, Carol, a part-timer, felt that an expanded knowledge of physiotherapy could better serve the home and its residents.

“I felt that more could be done,” says Carol, who adds that due to the demands of a typical shift that there was often simply not enough time to address each resident’s mobility capabilities. Psychologically, a lack of mobility is incredibly deflating, says Carol, adding that losing range of motion and mobility can often end in a loss of will.

Carol subsequently enrolled in a Humber College sponsored physiotherapy assistant program at the Kingston Learning Centre two years ago, graduating last spring. She begins regular and more intensive weekly physiotherapy sessions with Village Green residents this week.

“[With regular physio] range of motion exercises can be done with each client so that it makes it easier for them to get dressed, so that they’re able to stand, or so they can transfer. And there’s less wear and tear on the health care aides too.”

“If you can live your life to your functional best you will feel better about who you are,” she says. “It’s an esteem booster for the residents.”

Carol can use the extra time available in the week to dedicate to physio, offering specific residents 3 or 4 sessions weekly. Even though she currently runs rehab and exercise therapy programs, her new training will allow a more comprehensive and intensive level of therapy.

Carol hopes to add to the successes she has had, vignettes that have convinced her of the psychological and emotional benefits of increased mobility.

One resident, whom Carol had been working with to improve her walking capability, was recently visited by family. Upon their arrival in the activity room the woman exclaimed – “I walked ten feet by myself today!”

“That made her day,” says Carol. “She was proud of herself that she was able to accomplish that. It made her feel like the world was on her side.”

Residents’ ability to stand and transfer is an area she would like to focus on, adding that for residents who have recently suffered a stroke or a broken hip that consistent, thorough rehab is paramount to ensure that muscles don’t atrophy to the point where assisted transfers become required.

“If they don’t get the physiotherapy that they need then they end up staying in the chair, and once you sit in that chair for several weeks it’s hard to get the motivation or desire to get out of it,” says Carol.

After an injury it’s very easy to lose the muscle tone, and more importantly, says Carol, the will to stand and walk.

In addition to walking therapy, Carol hopes to get more residents on a routine exercise program, and to increase usage of a specialized bike for arthritis sufferers. The bike, featuring strap-on pedals that move the user’s legs slowly, increases range of motion without the usual undue stress or weight placed on joints.

Carol, also hopes to acquire a hot paraffin wax machine, which eases arthritic pain in the hands, feet or elbows.