Maintenance Therapy – The Best Kept Secret in Senior Care!


By Above & Beyond Senior Services

mainttherapy1Have you ever needed physical or occupational therapy (PT/OT)? Conditions that cause decreased strength, range of motion, balance deficits, difficulty with walking and memory issues are leading reasons seniors might need therapy. Most therapy is based on a model that requires patients to meet certain qualifying criteria. Typically, a person must demonstrate measurable, skilled progress or the therapy provider is required to discharge. Over the course of the last decade, a new option for wellness and exercise has become increasingly available to Minnesota seniors!

Maintenance therapy is the same PT/OT that you are familiar with, but with a few differences:

  • Starts after traditional therapy ends.
  • Has no requirements for frequency or duration of service.
  • Can continue on a long-term basis.
  • Comes into the home, while allowing freedom to be active throughout the community.

Let’s meet Mary:

mainttherapy2Mary had a massive stroke at 68. She was left with an inability to walk, difficulty with speaking, and decreased movement on the left side of her body. After completing rehabilitation in the hospital, then a care facility, she was able to return home with her husband, Ed. She also qualified for Medicare home therapy. When Mary was no longer considered home bound, she transitioned to an outpatient clinic. Mary was very motivated to get better, but this proved more difficult than imagined. It was hard to be disciplined in completing the home exercises her therapists assigned. Ed began to notice declines, despite Mary going for therapy twice a week. They were disappointed in her regression. It was time for a change. She wanted home therapy that focused on the tasks and activities that were important to her and allowed them to be in control of her rehab. Thanks to a recommendation from a trusted health care worker, Ed inquired about direct-pay, maintenance therapy.

The maintenance therapists helped discover Mary’s abilities and limitations. The couple’s therapy goals were set collaboratively. These weren’t goals for the purpose of insurance coverage, but the goals that were important to both of them. They were finding their “new normal”. Her desire to maximize her mobility, strength and balance was met by creative exercise instruction from her therapists. Over time, with PT/OT each week, Mary had many successes. Eventually she was able to walk throughout her home, enjoy her swimming pool and an adaptive horse-riding program! Her quality of life was significantly improved as she met her goals of participating in community activities and going out to dinner with Ed. She felt empowered, engaged and happy about her accomplishments.

While many people desire and achieve goals of improvement, maintenance therapy also understands that sometimes, true “maintenance of ability” IS the goal. Many seniors get caught in a cycle of decline which leads to hospitalization and rehab. Once home again, it’s difficult to maintain exercise programs independently. Lack of adequate maintenance leads to progressive decline and the cycle begins again. Introducing maintenance therapy can be a life changer for a senior.

When a client has ongoing, one-on-one therapy, they are able to maintain their physical abilities. This makes the difference between staying at home vs. moving to assisted living or nursing home. A benefit of maintenance therapy is the same therapist can continue with clients if they change the place they call home.

If you are a senior who wants to either regain or maintain your quality of life through wellness and exercise, maintenance therapy may be the missing link that you have been searching for.