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Physiotherapy

All patients who are within the care of St Columba's Hospice as either inpatients, attending Day Hospice or Community Palliative Care patients, can be referred for physiotherapy. The physiotherapist works as part of a multi professional team to help you and your family maximise your independence. Together we will plan treatment to help you with everyday activities in order to improve your quality of life.

Goals and aspirations may change over time, therefore it is vital that we adopt a flexible approach to meet agreed aims. This may include:

• Exercise therapy to improve flexibility, strength and function, and improve mobility
• Respiratory care; management of breathlessness
• Management of lymphoedema
• Education of carer(s) in appropriate handling skills
• Fatigue management
• Positioning, movement, massage, acupuncture or TENS (Trans Electrical Nerve Stimulation) to relieve and control pain.

An Out-Patient Lymphoedema service is available for people with oedema, which is secondary to cancer or a progressive disease.

Lymphoedema treatment can consist of:

• Exercises
• Skin care
• Compression sleeve
• Manual lymphatic drainage

Most people find physiotherapy a positive experience and feel the benefit of being actively involved in exercise which improves the ability and confidence to move about and can lead to a sense of well-being.

Page last updated: Friday, 10 August 2007

• To improve the quality of life of people with progressive, far advanced disease and to provide support for their families