As nursing professionals, we know that regular physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and well-being. It helps with weight management, bone and muscle strength, and reducing the risk for chronic health issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, but it can also boost our brain function and has psychosocial benefits. It’s been proven that physical exercise, in any capacity, can improve self-esteem, build self-confidence, decrease symptoms of depression, reduce stress, improve mood, and increase energy.
For those with physical or intellectual disabilities, physical activity is even more important to help them build and retain quality of life. But it’s often overlooked, especially for those with severe disabilities.
Home healthcare nursing is a collaborative team approach to patient care. From private duty for long-term care of adults and children with neurodegenerative and motor disorders to rehabilitative and therapeutic nursing for those recovering from an injury or illness, we take a holistic approach to treatment.
The biggest struggles we see with our clients who are seniors, people with disabilities (PWD), and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are isolation and feeling disconnected. We must consider how physical activity can be adapted to the individual’s needs and abilities.
Combining Physical Activity with Social Events
I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with physical therapist and senior program manager Kathleen Forrest, who oversees Senior Living Solutions for 11 independent and assisted living communities. Seniors who’ve gone from owning their own homes to losing their independence can often feel isolated and depressed, and we try to find ways to get them connected.
Kathleen’s team brings adapted fitness classes taught by physical therapists to these facilities. It’s important to get these seniors moving in any capacity, regardless of their limitations. Fitness helps improve balance and mobility, boosts self-esteem and mood, reduces falls, and helps them build confidence and stay independent. The classes allow therapists to monitor and evaluate the residents and see where improvement is needed through individual physical therapy.
Getting Creative and Innovative
You wouldn’t think of an ax throwing competition as an activity for a senior community, but one of our physical therapists devised a way to do it safely with plastic axes. She told me about a gentleman who thought he couldn’t participate because he was in a wheelchair. However, they moved his chair five feet closer to the target and adapted the activity for his limited range of motion so he could participate and feel connected to the group. We also sponsor social events like cornhole competitions. You can see the joy in the participant’s faces as they connect with the staff and each other.
Another example is cardio drumming, a cardiovascular workout combined with a drumming movement using exercise balls and pool noodles for the sticks. It’s easily adapted for residents with disabilities and is done safely in a chair. The biggest benefit that Kathleen witnesses is “the socializing and overall fun that the participants express at the end of the class. There never seems to be an empty chair in the group.”
Combatting IsolationÂ
While getting physical activity can be more challenging for those in home healthcare, people with limitations are often the ones who can benefit from physical activity the most, which is why adaptive, therapeutic movement is an important skill for clinicians to develop. For clients of all ages and abilities, we incorporate positive social and physical activity into their daily lives.
For a child, riding a bike is a rite of passage. Adaptive bicycles are an excellent way for people with conditions like cerebral palsy to exercise physically and get out in their community. Like a regular bicycle, adaptive bikes take into account the individual’s physical needs and offer features such as synchronized hand and foot petals, training wheels, and head support to help with coordination and balance.
As nursing and rehabilitation professionals, getting creative and seeing the sometimes life-changing benefits of exercise, goal setting, and social connection for our clients is gratifying.
How Can Adaptive Sports Help?
Adaptive sports allow people with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive activities and events, from dancing to rowing to skiing, with accommodations like sight dogs or special or modified equipment.
Adaptive rowing clubs around the globe accommodate those with physical and intellectual disabilities to introduce them to the world of competitive rowing. Our company has partnered with our local adaptive rowing organization for four decades to sponsor the annual BAYADA Regatta along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. We invite those with disabilities at all levels, from beginners to Paralympians from all over the country and world, to come together.
Regatta Director Sandy Brown sees amazing transformations in participants. Rowers compete against others with the same disabilities, allowing them to focus on the competition and camaraderie and not their disability. She sees participants smiling, laughing, and encouraging each other. They tell her that adaptive rowing has taken them from helpless to hopeful. They have freedom on the water. One participant said their favorite part of Pararowing is “hopefully inspiring other disabled athletes to give rowing a shot and to enjoy the sport as much as I do.” She sees hope and inspiration in all of these athletes. Many were introduced to rowing through rehabilitation or a friend. Adaptive sports like competitive rowing connect them all in lived experiences and spirit.
How Nurses Empower Patients
Nurses and therapists can challenge our patients through physical activity despite their limitations. Even small accomplishments can help patients become more independent and improve their overall outlook and quality of life. Whether customizing their medical equipment or introducing them to a new activity or adaptive sporting event, nurses have a unique opportunity to make a huge difference in our patients’ lives.
- The Role of Adaptive Sports in Holistic Nursing Care - October 23, 2023