Celebrating Mobility, Independence and World Physiotherapy Day

In line with World Physiotherapy Day and the focus on arthritis, Everyday Independence Physiotherapist and change maker, Rian shared a story on the journey of a participant he’s been supporting; a 51-year-old woman whose goal is to increase independence. 

In respect of the participant’s wishes to remain anonymous, we’ve used Lisa as an alias name.  

Lisa lives with her husband and two adult sons. Increased challenges due to her arthritis resulted in her resigning from her job, which left her feeling isolated and disengaged from the community.  
 
“When Lisa started with Everyday Independence, I initially supported her with physiotherapy and she had occupational therapy with Alisha. We worked together with Lisa’s support network to understand her life from all angles, so we could forge a pathway to helping her achieve her goals sooner”, Rian said.  

“As a team, we assessed her home, daily routine, and mobility in a range of environments. For Lisa to reach her goal of increased independence, we also introduced a trial recliner chair, bed and low-cost cutlery – items that reduced the need for formal support”.

Thanks to this ‘life from all angles’ approach, we were able to set clear goals surrounding self-care, mental and emotional well-being, physical movement and something else that was extremely important to Lisa: returning to work.  

“In the new year, we plan to introduce a Habit Coach to the team, who will support Lisa to practice her new skills and routine”, he said.

Lisa is now so much more comfortable moving around her home, and the goals have now transitioned to maintaining her independence and looking for suitable and fulfilling employment.

Read more of our Everyday Life Stories; we’re all about creating positive change so that participants and their families can achieve more independence, participation and well-being. 

Are you Ready to Achieve a Positive Life Change?

Speak to our team on 1300 179 131 or complete an online form, and we’ll be in touch to learn more about how we can assist you or someone you care for.