As our bodies age, regardless of how healthy we may be, nearly everyone eventually reaches a point in life when some additional help is needed in order to stay functional in daily life. When loved ones in our lives grow older and approach this point, it’s often difficult to determine whether or not they can continue to live independently, which can put you in a challenging position. Fortunately, our Parkville/Baltimore physical therapists can perform professional in-home assessments to help you decide if any changes are needed and how to go about carrying them out.

Most cases that require one of these types of assessments plays out in a fairly similar manner: a loved one—usually a parent, grandparent, older relative or friend—gets to a point in his or her life when it’s unclear if they have the ability to continue living on their own. In some cases, the person—or persons—concerned have already been helping this loved one to the best of their ability, but they may begin to feel as if they’ve done all they can, and some additional help may be required to meet their physical needs.

Our comprehensive home assessments will evaluate a person’s functional, cognitive and physical needs and strengths, and are designed to offer you and your family a much-needed perspective on the matter at hand. From there, we will help you determine whether this loved one needs assistance in the home, or if it’s time to start considering moving them to assisted living or nursing facility.

Once you order the assessment, we will come to the home of the person being evaluated and observe a number of factors that can pose as difficulties in daily life. We will then attempt to answer a series of questions based on these observations, which usually consist of the following:

Typical questions asked during home assessment

• Is the loved one capable of completing the tasks of daily living, including dressing, bathing, cooking, personal hygiene, cleaning, etc.?
• Can he/she take care of his/herself on a regular basis?
• Is there a continued need for home health aide, five days a week for eight hours a day?
• Is the living space large enough for any renovation, if needed?
• Do stairways/doorways/etc. allow for a chairlift/wheelchair negotiation if needed?
• What is the general layout of the house?
• Is there room for a hospital bed?
• Is there easy access from the street, and is parking an issue?
• Is there space for additional medical equipment?

After evaluating these questions, we then do an interview to find out the history of the issue and perform an overview of the person’s medical history, list of all current medications, review of medical professionals the person is currently seeing and the most pressing current concerns. Finally, we perform a musculoskeletal assessment to determine the person’s level of physical fitness and take pictures to document details of the home. Based on the information gathered, we then make recommendations for any modifications or equipment that might be needed in the home, and we develop an individualized plan based on the person’s needs and preferences that will help to ensure they are living as safely as possible.

Deciding to perform a home assessment is a difficult choice and one that most would prefer to avoid, but our Parkville/Baltimore physical therapists can help simplify the process and guide you every step of the way. To find out more about home assessments or to schedule an appointment, contact CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services in Laurel, Hyattsville, Glenn Dale/Bowie and Parkville/Baltimore, MD at 301-853-0093.