Robotic physiotherapy for the elderly

Robotic physiotherapy for the elderly

As the elderly get older, their body system changes. For example, muscles lose strength, and muscle power reduces. Other conditions that old people can suffer from them are stiff joints, poorer balance, increased weight, unbendable ligaments, and overall body movement. If the body system changes fast or the elderly have more than one medical condition, they need help and care.

Physiotherapists can help the elderly to improve their muscle strength and balance if they have had a fall. They can also help the elderly with dementia or frailty to promote mental activity, joint mobility, muscle strength, and balance.

Physiotherapy helps the elderly to relieve aches and pains. If the elderly suffer from Parkinson’s disease, exercises can improve balance, walking, and arm function. The exercises can help the elderly to move safer and easier. The elderly who had a stroke can also get help from Physiotherapists to get treated.

Physiotherapy is proved to be beneficial for old people with arthritis, neurological problems, and Parkinson’s disease. Physiotherapy helps older adults maintain the mobility, strength and stability needed to live life.

Role of assistive robotic therapy in health care

Due to the increasing aging population in recent years, demand for physical therapy services has grown. Technology particularly Robotic rehabilitation and assistive technologies can play a special role in healthcare. When therapists use a robotic device in therapy, we speak of assistive robotic therapy, also called “robot-assisted therapy” or “robotic therapy”.

The advantage of assistive robotic therapy

Assistive robotic therapy allows for repetitive and task specific training and offloads the burden on therapists. This innovative technology saves time and resources and eases stress on the physiotherapy staff. Assistive robotic therapy is a good opportunity for therapists to deliver high-dosage and high-intensity training for patients. Assistive robotic therapy helps mobilize patients faster and reduces expenses too.

Robert

Robert is a robot-based medical device that helps physiotherapists in their work. According to www.kuka.com, ”ROBERT works individually and flexibly and very precisely. It can perform exactly the same movements over and over again – without interruption, fatigue or time restrictions”. The demand for Robert has increased significantly because hospitals would like to reduce direct physical contact to patients in order to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. With this solution, the company Life Science Robotics (LSR) wants to help to mobilize patients faster and more efficiently, while relieving the burden on physiotherapists.