Easing The Caregiver Burden: The Transformative Power Of In-Home Physiotherapy

A safeguard for your health, wealth, time, and well-being

Are you a caregiver?

If so, you know that while this role is honourable, it is not all sunshine and rainbows; dedicating time, energy, and money to ensure your loved ones receive the best care possible can be overwhelming. and even cause physical and emotional strain.

It is reported that one in four Canadians are caregivers and that they collectively spend 5.7 billion hours caring for people in their lives (equating to 4.2% of GDP with an annual value of $97.1 billion^[1]). That’s a lot of time and money – thankfully, in-home physiotherapy can save you some of both while still ensuring your loved ones receive the utmost care.

Delivered by trained professionals with expertise in rehabilitation, in-home physiotherapy provides expert guidance and support that not only aids in the recovery of patients but also significantly alleviates the caregiver burden. If you are a caregiver, here are a few benefits that can make a world of difference in your life:

Your Health

You might struggle to teach your loved ones exercises recommended by the doctor and feel like you’re more likely to win the lottery. In-home physiotherapy is your lucky ticket and it can also help alleviate the burden on your own body.

Distress among Canadian caregivers is common with 26% of those tending to older adults reporting such an experience. This can lead to outcomes such as a deterioration in physical health and even an increased risk of death³.

In-home physiotherapy can help reduce physical strain on caregivers by having trained professionals handle tasks related to mobility and exercise. Qualified therapists can teach your loved ones safe and effective techniques for daily activities, accelerating their recovery and effectively reducing physical demand on you.

It is like hiring a personal trainer but with fewer grueling workouts and more encouragement.

Your Well-Being

In Canada, 56% of caregivers reported feeling tired because of their responsibilities and 44% felt worried or anxious in 2022^[4]. An in-home physiotherapist is like that friend who you can lean on in times like this.

In addition to helping a patient in their rehabilitation journey, an in-home physiotherapist can help you understand your loved one’s condition, progress, and prognosis. This can alleviate some of the emotional stress associated with caregiving.

Like the late Bill Withers once said, ‘Lean on me, when you’re not strong, and in-home physiotherapy will be your friend, it’ll help you carry on.’ Okay, we may have paraphrased a bit but you get the point.

Your Finances

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial strain of caregiving was evident with 15% of Canadian caregivers reducing their paid work hours to tend to their caregiving responsibilities; such adjustments can cause high financial strain, making it difficult to pay bills and afford basic expenses like food20% left bills unpaid, and 10% could not afford basic expenses such as food².

In-home physiotherapy can help ease your financial burden as it is a cost-effective alternative to frequent visits to healthcare facilities. This reduces the need for transportation costs and helps manage expenses by providing specialized care at home. Also, because a dedicated physiotherapist can ensure patients perform exercises correctly, additional injuries that may have otherwise occurred can be avoided and costs associated with medical bills are offset.

Moreover, with nearly 33% of caregiving employees having chosen to leave a job at some point because of their caregiving responsibilities^[6], in-home physiotherapy potentially allows you to continue working and enables you to address your financial needs more effectively.

Your Time

Quoting Benjamin Franklin, (and we are not paraphrasing here) “Time is money.”

Caregiving is a time commitment and while you can get swept up in caring for a loved one, it is important to understand that caring for your own health is just as important. Without you being at your best, you won’t be able to provide the best for them. In-home physiotherapy is beneficial in freeing up your time so that you can use it for self-care, family, work, or other responsibilities.

As our society ages, the role of caregivers in providing support and assistance to seniors and individuals recovering from injuries or illnesses has become increasingly vital – and this will continue to be the case with the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years old having been on a trajectory to nearly double from 12% to 22% since 2015 through 2050^[7].

Even though it can sometimes feel like you’re the star of your very own circus, juggling responsibilities and doing your best to keep everything from falling, in-home physiotherapy can aid you so that there is no need to compromise your physical health, emotional well-being, or finances. It is a viable alternative that you can count on to help you shoulder the load and make your loved one’s road to recovery a whole lot smoother.

With that said, what are you waiting for – reach out today and help us help you!