Hi Everyone,
This week I was given a referral requesting a home assessment for a lady two weeks post a three week hospital admission for groin and thigh pain. During the admission, investigations found no pathology that explained this pain. On assessment, the patient reported significant deterioration over the past eighteen months to a point where she did not feel safe leaving the house due to poor mobility. She had been active in the community but no longer had any social contact, nor any visitors other than her daughter and her personal care assistant who helped with showering three times a week. However her cognition was excellent and she reported feeling quite frustrated that she was unable to do the activities she could in the past. Despite this she did not have any desire to do any exercises despite education about how they could improve her mobility and perhaps make her feel comfortable to leave the house again. At the end of the assessment, the patient thanked me for coming and talking to her and apologized for wasting my time since she did not want to do any exercises. She also encouraged me to drop by for a chat any time. This assessment left me feeling quite frustrated. I really think that after a short stint of Physio, this patient’s quality of life could be significantly improved; however her right to refuse Physio treatment after being informed of its benefits could not be ignored. I also felt quite sad that she has become so socially isolated and that things like a Physio assessment have become the highlight of her week. I have been wondering since if there is a service that is available to the elderly or other people with mobility issues, where people do visit them just for a chat. I think that such a service, if one exists, would great benefit this lady.
Mel