Is pain impacting your daily life?

Ruth shares how Feros Care physiotherapist Oliver tailored a program to address her ongoing pain

At Feros Care, we pride ourselves on providing highly personalised and holistic care, and that includes our allied health services. Delivered by genuinely compassionate clinical professionals, this ‘big picture’ approach aims to meet our clients’ physical and overall wellness goals, and help them live a happier, healthier, and more independent life.

Ruth’s story about her experience with Feros Care physiotherapist Oliver beautifully illustrates this commitment.

Ruth’s battle with chronic pain

76-year-old Ruth, a vibrant and resilient Feros Care client, has faced numerous health challenges. She lives with severe scoliosis, peripheral neuropathy, a heart stent following a diagnosis of blocked arteries, and rheumatoid arthritis.

These conditions cause chronic pain, including widespread joint pain (especially in her knees), sciatic nerve tingles, and numbness down the side of her leg. Additionally, Ruth has a very reactive neuroimmune system which exacerbates her symptoms.

The normally active Ruth’s daily life has been greatly impacted by her ongoing health issues. Basic tasks like cooking, cleaning, bending over, picking things up, and standing for extended periods have become increasingly difficult.

Beyond the physical limitations, this has also taken a toll on her mental and emotional wellbeing.

Finding support with Feros Care

Acknowledging it was time for Ruth to seek help, her GP referred her to My Aged Care for an ACAT assessment. She was approved for the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), a government-subsidised program for seniors needing low-level support to help them remain living at home and increase their quality of life.

Through the CHSP program, Feros Care has provided physiotherapy services for Ruth, whose goals include increasing strength in her legs, improving balance, and reducing pain. She also receives goods, equipment, and assistive technology (GEAT) through Feros Care to help make her daily life easier.

Ruth’s journey with Feros, however, is not just about the services we provide, but the people behind them – especially her physiotherapist, the much-loved Oliver.

Oliver’s broad-based philosophy

Oliver, like all Feros Care clinical care staff, takes a holistic approach with his clients – just like the lovely Ruth. Beyond tailoring physiotherapy exercises to address specific health concerns, he also looks at how he can assist with mental and emotional wellness.

“Oliver is fantastic,” says Ruth. “He really looks at everything – not just the immediate problem or issue, but other factors as well.”

Oliver adds, “With Ruth, I have incorporated mindfulness and breathing techniques for a fully integrated approach to improve her overall health and wellbeing. This is so important – and something I am very passionate about.”

Flexible, fun, and compassionate; Oliver’s care style

Ruth’s clinical health plan includes carefully tailored exercises that can be adjusted based on her capabilities on any given day. Oliver’s flexibility and adaptability are praised by Ruth, as recent hospitalisations have caused temporary setbacks in her progress.

“He modifies exercises depending on my health and abilities in each session which is great,” says Ruth.

“Exercises include ankle raises, step-ups, walking heel-toe, and tandem walking, but he’ll always change the intensity and nature of movement if I’ve had to take a step back.”

In addition, Ruth appreciates Oliver’s gentle, calm, and kind-hearted nature.

She shares, “I really enjoy working with Oliver. He’s so patient and supportive and really works to my needs. There is no black-and-white one-size-fits-all solution. He truly understands that.”

“He is also very good at managing my expectations because I’m impatient and want results immediately,” she laughs, highlighting Oliver’s ability to balance encouragement with realistic goal setting.

Finally, she adds that Oliver makes her exercises fun which is crucial to helping her stay motivated.

A two-way street

Oliver emphasises the importance of clients continuing to practice their exercises independently, outside of the one-on-one sessions.

For Ruth, this also includes walking around her local hilly area, which suits her and her husband to a tee due to their love of the outdoors and staying active.

“It’s difficult to get a clinical effect without the client taking on the responsibility of maintaining the program in between my visits,” Oliver explains.

Speaking fondly of Ruth and her dedication, he says, “Ruth is a fantastic example of someone who is resilient in the face of adversity and fully commits to her rehabilitation. She has learned to work on her goals in her own time, based on what I’ve shown her and how she is feeling.”

“This is a huge part of rehabilitation management. It’s about pacing and implementing adaptive strategies and knowing when to do more or less of something.”

Are you or a loved one in need of personalised and holistic home support services? Click here to find out more, or phone us on 1300 090 256.