As clinicians at FOX Rehabilitation, we have the opportunity to work closely with inspiring patients who have lived long, fulfilling lives, and we learn so much from their wisdom. However, this close relationship can become painful when, frequently, our patients confide in us that they have lost so much in their old age and don’t see the point in working in therapy to get better. 

It may seem as though we are there to just get them moving and work toward mobility goals. How can we help them see the bigger picture? That their life is still full of meaning? As clinicians, we are actually in an optimal place to help our patients see that life at every age is worth living to the fullest. Let’s explore some ways to help our patients get there.

Many of our patients associate aging with loss. They may have lost so much of what they believe makes them valuable — being able to work, physical capabilities, and the purpose of raising a family. Their daily life is so different from what it used to be. 

Our job as clinicians is to listen, emphasize, and be someone our patients can trust. When we establish that rapport, we can help refocus on the positive. Maybe our patients can still walk to their community center, even if they aren’t able to drive to visit a friend in another part of the city. They can still call a family member, even if they are unable to take a flight to see them across the country. 

We can point out the little things that are good in their life that they may overlook. We can empower our patients by showing them that, though it may look a little different, what they can do is still important and necessary.

Getting older does not mean life gets less interesting! Life has meaning when we are learning and growing — and we are in a unique position to help patients rediscover hobbies or interests they thought were long gone. 

Have a patient that used to garden? Incorporate floor transfers and kneeling exercises into your sessions! Was your patient an artist in their youth? Work on reaching and standing tolerance. Did they enjoy visiting friends? Practice car transfers so they can take an Uber to get to their community center again. 

A key part of therapy is helping our patient connect our session to their goals — which is a huge reason our goals should be functional! The patient has to see that their hard work can help them achieve something meaningful. Otherwise, they can easily view therapy as pointless.

This seems counterintuitive to a therapist whose job is to make individualized goals to help a patient achieve what is meaningful to them. But however counterintuitive it seems, the truth is that finding meaning in life is easier when one’s focus is on others. 

We can help our patients see that even though they may have lost physical capabilities, they are still able to help those around them in meaningful ways. Because they are retired, they have much more time to talk to family and friends on the phone and support them during hard times. They can spend time with people in their senior living facility or with neighbors. They can write letters or invite people over. With creativity, our patients can find fulfillment amid their decreasing capabilities.

It is a basic human need to feel needed. Our patients need to know that the world is a better place because of them — whether or not they can do what they used to be able to do. Clinicians like us are uniquely positioned to affirm their worth as we work on our goals in therapy, which can start as simply as setting them up for success during our sessions. 

We may be one of our patient’s only social interactions during the week! Just because we are therapists does not mean we can’t have a friendly demeanor that challenges at the same time as it positively affirms. One small way to put this into practice is to give patients positive feedback just as often as negative feedback.

At FOX, we are lucky to spend so much time with our patients. As clinicians, we are in a unique position to provide holistic care and focus on the whole person in our sessions. Remember to start small. Set meaningful goals, get to know your patient and in the process, you can help your patients see that aging is beautiful and a true gift!

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