Promoting independence and wellbeing in care homes

The UK has an ageing population, with increasing numbers of older adults living with complex health conditions, frailty, disability, and cognitive impairment. As a result, care homes have become an increasingly crucial component of the health and social care system, providing long-term support for individuals who are no longer able to live independently.

Residents in care homes often present with multiple long-term conditions, reduced mobility, high risk of falls, dementia, and functional decline. In the UK, it is not standard practice to have in-house therapists within nursing or residential homes. One study found that 60 per cent of care homes use physiotherapy services compared to 99 per cent in the Netherlands. Some care homes in the UK do not use physiotherapy services at all.

While care staff can refer into the NHS for physiotherapy on a case-by-case basis, the waiting lists are often long, and not all staff are aware of the wide ranging referral criteria for residents and how a therapist might benefit their residents. The European guidelines recommend bespoke, 35-45 minute physical activity sessions at least twice a week for every older person in a nursing home that has no contraindications to exercise. Physiotherapists are very well-placed to deliver these exercise sessions to nursing homes, with their expertise in holistic, person-centred assessments and exercise prescriptions.