Parkinson’s & falls
Parkinson’s changes how you move long before it changes what you can do. Shorter steps. A slower turn. That moment of hesitation in a doorway. Physiotherapy will not slow the condition down, and we would not tell you otherwise, but it can help you stay steadier on your feet, more confident in your own home, and less likely to fall.
Reeflex works in your house rather than a clinic, which matters more here than in almost any other condition. The doorway you freeze in is your doorway. The chair you struggle out of is your chair. Those are the things we practise on.
What we work on
Falls
A fall is rarely just bad luck. It is usually some combination of weakness, poor balance, medication, footwear, a rug, a badly placed piece of furniture, or getting up too quickly in the night. A falls assessment goes through all of it, in the house where the falls are actually happening.
Reef is also a certified MoCA rater, so where thinking and memory are part of the picture, that can be assessed properly rather than guessed at.
You get a written plan afterwards. Not a leaflet, an actual plan: what to change in the house, what to practise, and how often.
What happens
Before anyone books anything, Reef will talk it through with you or a family member. If physiotherapy is not the right answer, he will say so.
How you move now, what has become difficult, and what you want to be able to do again. Measured properly, so progress can be measured too.
Exercises sized to where you are today, not to a textbook. Family kept informed, with your permission.
A real example
One of our written case studies follows a client with Parkinson’s through a falls prevention programme at home, with the assessment findings, the plan and the outcome measures set out in full.
Questions
No. You can contact Reeflex directly. If it would help to keep your GP or Parkinson’s nurse in the loop, we are happy to do that with your permission.
No. Staying active is one of the few things consistently recommended alongside medication. The job of a physiotherapist is making sure the exercise is the right kind, at the right level, and safe to do in your own house.
No, and it is not meant to. Most people we see are already under a consultant or a Parkinson’s nurse. Reeflex works alongside that, usually because NHS physiotherapy blocks are short and people want more regular support at home.
It depends on what we find at the assessment and what you want to achieve. Some people have a block of weekly visits and then stop. Others prefer something less frequent over a longer stretch. There is nothing to commit to up front.
Reeflex travels out from South Woodham Ferrers and covers Essex, and further afield when the diary allows. Chelmsford, Maldon, Danbury, Billericay, Wickford, Rayleigh, Basildon, Southend-on-Sea, Brentwood, Braintree and Colchester are all regular. If you are not sure, ring and ask.
Get in touch
The first phone call is free and there is no obligation afterwards. If Reeflex is not the right fit, Reef will tell you what is.
