Interaction between clients and physiotherapists in group exercise classes in geriatric rehabilitation

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explore how older people construct their interaction in group exercise classes in geriatric rehabilitation, and what is the scope of their agency? Discourse analysis was employed and data, consisting of 7 videotaped group based exercise sessions, were collected from 7 rehabilitation centers involving 52 older people (age 66 -93 years) and 9 rehabilitation professionals. Four discourse categories were found. In 'taciturn exercising' older people remained verbally silent but physically active. In 'submissive disagreeing' older people were directly opposing the professionals' agenda with reluctant alignment to proposals. Where as in 'resilient endeavouring' older adults persisted on their stance, regardless of the disapproval of the professionals. In 'lay helping' older people initiated spontaneous encouragement, but also provided verbal and physical assistance for their peers. Older people's agency, whilst being likely to challenge institutional flow of activities, can be an integral part of the re-ablement process of rehabilitation.

Experiences of older adults in a group physiotherapy program at a rehabilitation hospital: A qualitative study

“…Participants feeling socially supported in GPT were similar to those reported by hospitalized older adults as well as those undertaking exercise groups for cardiac rehabilitation, terminal cancer, and following lung transplantation . Fostering a supportive environment may enhance the patient experience; therefore, physiotherapists should encourage GPT attendance and socialization (as appropriate) and actively acknowledge physical improvements.…”

Reablement through time and space: A scoping review of how the concept of ‘reablement’ for older people has been defined and operationalised

“…Reablement services targeted speci cally at older people was also beginning to emerge in northern Europe -particularly, Finland. However, such programmes were termed "geriatric rehabilitation' (Wallin et al, 2009) and did not take place within the home setting. But, other than this difference, the Finnish intervention has aims similar to other reablement programmes; e.g., the goal was "to achieve and maintain functional independence, and to enable older people to remain community-dwelling" (Wallin et al, 2009: 145).…”

Reablement through time and space: A scoping review of how the concept of ‘reablement’ for older people has been defined and operationalised

“…The concept of reablement targeted specifically at older people was also beginning to emerge in northern Europe -particularly, Finland. However, such programmes were termed "geriatric rehabilitation' (Wallin et al, 2009) and did not take place within the home setting. But other than this difference, the Finnish intervention seems to contain many aspects that are similar to other reablement programmes; e.g., the goal was "to achieve and maintain functional independence, and to enable older people to remain community-dwelling" (Wallin et al, 2009).…”

“…However, such programmes were termed "geriatric rehabilitation' (Wallin et al, 2009) and did not take place within the home setting. But other than this difference, the Finnish intervention seems to contain many aspects that are similar to other reablement programmes; e.g., the goal was "to achieve and maintain functional independence, and to enable older people to remain community-dwelling" (Wallin et al, 2009). By 2011, British experts reiterated the burgeoning 'reablement philosophy', which states that "the focus is on restoring independent functioning rather than resolving health care issues, and on helping people to do things for themselves rather than the traditional home care approach of doing things for people that they cannot do for themselves" (Francis et al, 2011).…”