The need for physiotherapy

The longer we can encourage our elderly parents to remain physically active, the longer they will benefit from an independent lifestyle. There is no way of getting away from the fact that as we get older certain things begin to happen to our bodies. We lose bone density and muscle strength, our levels of body fat increase, our coordination becomes poorer and our joints begin to stiffen.

Having said that, we do have a certain amount of control over the rate at which we experience this decline and the way in which it interferes (or not) in our day-to-day lives. In fact, medical research suggests that at least half of the age-related changes to muscles, bones and joints are caused by disuse, which is why exercise is so important.

Physiotherapists are trained to carefully and safely guide elderly patients through a series of exercises designed to help them with their specific needs. Being able to exercise at home between physiotherapy sessions gives elderly patients the confidence they need to take matters into their own hands and restores a little of that independent feeling that’s so important to staying young and full of life.

Physiotherapy helps the senior citizens improve cardiovascular circulation by strengthening cardiac output and decreasing blood pressure. This, in turn, helps to protect them from developing cardiovascular diseases and minimises the threat of congestive heart failure.

On a final note, most elder citizens are concerned about not feeling as quick and steady on their feet as they used to and of finding it difficult to cope with stairs. As muscles weaken, coordination depletes and joints stiffen, our elderly relatives are at a greater risk of experiencing a fall that could lead to a painful fracture and months of recovery. Physiotherapy can ensure a full and effective recovery from most types of accidents by gradually helping patients regain the physical strength and mobility they once had. The exercises they learn to practice in each session can also go a long way to preventing other falls and accidents in the future.

We at Porosh have observed that due to the Covid scare a lot of senior citizens have discontinued physiotherapy sessions much to their detriment. It is high time that they jettison the apprehension of getting infected by the virus by adopting basic precautionary measures.

(Adapted from www.myphysiosa.com.au)

The philosophy of nursing

During the recent times, and more so in the aftermath of COVID-19 & the resulting pandemic across the globe, the need for nursing at home for the senior citizens has been on the rise. Porosh has realized it due to increased queries pertaining to nursing services it offers. While it is true that we have a fair idea about the role and duties of a nurse yet we often land-up expecting more than what a nurse supposed to do. For instance, insisting a nurse to perform household chores! Now this is something unusual.

The goal of nursing is to help individuals, families, groups, and communities to reach an optimum state of well-being by restoring, maintaining, and promoting their health. Professional nurses are required to think creatively, building on the values of altruism, autonomy, and social justice.

Therefore, for the sake of saving a few extra bucks insisting a nurse to perform other household work often results in tension. The obvious outcome in most of the cases is a bitter war of words and the nurse quitting job. Ultimately it is the unfortunate patient who receives the blow. However, none are spared from mental agony.

What needs to be actually looked into given the corona virus is that a nurse should be asked to stay with the patient’s family 24*7. It nullifies the risk of an usually aged patient getting infected. We at Porosh also insist on the same and this sort of arrangement seems to be working quite fine with us.

Walking the talk

In one of our recent blogs while highlighting some of the key elements concerning how organizations like ours should approach serving the members (senior citizens)it was mentioned we ‘promise less, deliver more’. It obvious that receiving a thing, or two beyond the signed ‘Terms & Conditions’ always carries with it an element of surprise. It adds to the ‘wow’ factor.

This apart, in the website we had mentioned under the section ‘Why Porosh?’ about our ‘commitment to utilizing a portion of earnings for societal well-being’. We realized the need to walk the talk has arrived with Durga Puja being round the corner. What else could be a more appropriate gesture than giving back some thing to the members who are enrolled with us for more than six months?

The planning started a month in advance. Our team members observed the preferences of clothes worn by our members which included colour, design and brand. Once we got a sense of it - sarees, kurtas etc. were purchased. For the sake of not losing personal connect it was decided that the gifts should be handed over in person instead of couriering. What turned-out subsequently is indeed memorable and gratifying.

Receiving surprise puja gifts from Porosh overwhelmed them. While some greeted us with smile, a few had tears rolling-down in joy. We were showered with blessings. It was indeed a heart-touching experience for us.It was payback time for Porosh. Actually such experiences provide us with necessary fodder to keep on experimenting with innovative ideas.