Healthcare at Home

Whether you are recuperating, don’t have transport or just prefer to receive treatment at home, many healthcare providers will now visit you at home. The range of healthcare providers and alternative therapists that now offer the opportunity for you to receive treatments at home has grown in recent years – you are no longer restricted to just having a mobile hairdresser, whatever service you require there’s probably a provider who will visit you rather than you having to venture out.

Osteopaths
What do they do? Osteopaths treat a large range of health problems, from back pain and postural problems caused by work strain or driving, to minor sports injuries and issues with arthritis or pregnancy.
What to expect? A first appointment will last around 45 minutes to an hour, which will allow the osteopath to ask questions about your condition, your medical history and any medication you may be taking. They will then carry out a thorough examination, including asking you to make simple movements and stretches to assess your posture and mobility. From this appointment, they will determine any ongoing treatment plan with you.

Treatments are hands-on involving skilled manipulation of the joints and spine and massaging of the soft tissues. They may recommend self-help exercises and offer advice to prevent recurrence or worsening of the symptoms. For more information visit www.osteopathy.org.uk

Podiatrist/Chiropodist
What do they do? A podiatrist treats a varied range of conditions of the feet and lower limbs. They also assist people to keep active and mobile, relieve pain and treat infections.
What to expect? At your first appointment, your podiatrist will take a full medical history, check your blood circulation and feeling in your feet. They may also ask you to walk so that they can assess the way you move your lower leg joints, before making a diagnosis and discussing a treatment plan with you. Minor issues discovered at this consultation, such as removal of hard skin, corns and calluses can be treated immediately. The appointment will last between 30 – 60 minutes.

For more information visit www.scpod.org, www.iocp.org.uk/ or www.bcha-uk.org/
Common issues that they can help with include:

• Ingrown toenails
• Bunions
• Heel pain
• Dry and cracked heels
• Corns and calluses
• Verrucas
• Athletes foot
• Gout
• Sports injuries

Audiologist
What do they do? An audiologist can diagnose, manage and treat hearing, tinnitus or balance problems by using technology and procedures to determine the extent of any hearing damage and identify the underlying cause.
What to expect? The audiologist will begin with taking a full medical history from you. They will then conduct a comprehensive test of your ears before carrying out other tests with audiometers, computers and other devices to assess the extent of hearing loss. There are many causes of hearing loss from a build-up of wax in the ears to age-related hearing loss, and the audiologist will be able at the end of your appointment to discuss their findings and decide on a treatment plan for you. This may be as simple as arranging for you to have wax removed from your ear canals, to fitting hearing aids. For more information www.hearinglink.org

These are just a few of the services that are now available to you at home but are by no means an exhaustive list. If you just need help with your ironing, shopping, some gardening or even transport to a doctor’s appointment, there are plenty of domiciliary care providers who can help.

By Nikki Relffe-Arnold