Tullamore's first community physio: "It's a different dynamic"
By Rebekah O'Reilly
Tullamore company Assure Physiotherapy is the first "community physio" working out of the Midlands.
The business was set up by Chartered Physiotherapist Cathal Egan in January of this year, after he noticed a gap in care for those who were unable to make it to clinical appointments on their own.
Assure Physiotherapy provides services both in private homes and care homes, dealing with issues from post-operative rehabilitation, to mobility and fall prevention, to workplace ergonomics.
Speaking about why he decided to set up a mobile physiotherapy business, Cathal said: "I worked in private practices for over 10 years, and you would see a lot of people coming in with disabilities, or who may have reduced mobility for one reason or another, and it was a big challenge for them to come into the clinic.
"By the time they made it in, it had taken so much out of them, they couldn't focus on the physiotherapy or the instructions I was giving them to take home."
Giving people back their independence was another huge factor as to why Cathal set up Assure Physiotherapy.
"After a hospitalisation for hip surgery, shoulder surgery, and similar operations, people are not allowed to drive for up to six weeks," Cathal explained. "Having the option to receive physiotherapy at home is a lot easier for most people than having to take a taxi into a clinic, or arranging a lift from a family member. It takes the pressure off."
Cathal added that his service adds another option for post-op patients who have not been prioritised due to long HSE waiting lists.
"Last week, there was up to 84,000 people on the HSE waiting list for physiotherapy," Cathal said. "It means that people are not being seen for two or three years, and can lead to re-hospitalisation.
"Those first 12 weeks when you come out of the hospital are essential to getting people back to their baseline."
So far, the response from clients about the in-home physio has been overwhelmingly positive.
"At home appointments are ideal, and it's a completely different dynamic. I actually enjoy the visits because you're a guest in someone's home, so they are much more relaxed, and people tend to ask a lot more questions.
"From the first visit there is that family involvement, and you get to see the space that people are actually living in. You can show people where they can do their exercises, and you have the chance to suggest small things that might help them day to day. This could be something simple like moving their chairs, or adding a handrail where they might need one."
Assure Physiotherapy offers their services across the Midlands, including Offaly, Westmeath, and Laois, and is the only community physio available outside of Dublin and Galway.
For more information on the services available from Assure Physiology, contact Cathal on 086 080 4224, or go to: https://www.assurephysio.ie/