From the Editor

This week I want to cover information on physical therapy. This is prompted by my dad, who as regular readers know had a massive stroke years ago, being sent to physical therapy for evaluation by his doctor to see how he is doing and if they can help him any since he has not had any therapy since just after his stroke in 2001.

My mom and sister took my dad in for the first physical therapy appointment yesterday. I have not heard a lot about what happened other than the therapist that did the preliminary review said she needs us to send in one of his support things for his ankle, seems they don't have any air casts or other kinds of ankle support there for him to use when he's walking. I would have expected them to have something like that, but I guess they are not as well set up as I had thought. I do know they are still a fairly new therapy place in the Valley, so I guess they just had not had reason to need anything like that until now.

I have several different kinds for him, I'll just send a few in and see which one they like the best.

This week I will look at things that pertain to physical therapy from a caregiver's perspective. What it is, why it is needed, when to consider it, and home exercises that can be used to supplement therapy sessions.