Welcome Carla Parch, MPT to the Broad Street Team

Carla Parch, MPT joins Broad Street to add a Physical Therapist’s perspective to delivering Premium Home Care

One of the primary functions of a home care provider is to ensure the safety and well-being of their clients. Traditionally, this is accomplished through training and supervision of the caregiving staff by members of the home care providers’ administrative staff. Premium home care providers will have multiple layers of support, training and supervision to provide a more thorough, comprehensive level of service. In general, these layers involve a team of administrators working in conjunction with the nursing staff overseeing care in the clients’ homes.

Beyond ensuring the safety and well-being of their clients, Premium Home Care agencies deliver an enhanced level of care designed to improve their clients’ lifestyle. This is done by incorporating various therapeutic disciplines which can promote healing, growth and a return to previous levels of functioning.

Broad Street has taken the unprecedented step of adding a Physical Therapist to their clinical supervisory team to provide yet another layer of support, training and supervision.

Carla Parch, MPT joined our supervisory team in November of 2020. Carla’s additional clinical perspective enhances the personalized care delivered to all of our clients.

To highlight this unique approach and provide a better understanding of how Carla’s skills are being utilized, we had an opportunity to sit down with her to discuss:

Q: Can you speak to the additional benefits of having a Physical Therapist’s perspective in training and supervising Broad Street Home Care’s Care Professionals?

Physical Therapists’ education specifically includes training to help individuals move efficiently and safely. Our jobs are to not only be able to look at a client and determine where their abilities are, but to teach them and those who care for them to take advantage of those abilities to foster as much independence as possible in a safe environment. Combining our Care Professionals’ level of experience and a Physical Therapist’s in depth understanding of movement, creates a team approach that can benefit each individual client’s needs for safety and mobility.

Q: Where do see your experience as a Physical Therapist having the greatest impact on our clients’ wellbeing?

The three things that leap to mind first are:

• Knowing how to individualize training for specific needs.

• Knowing when to suggest a referral to a different source.

• Most importantly, educating and training which we can provide not only to the care professionals, but to the clients and their family members as well.

Q: When consulting with RN Supervisors on a client’s care, what clinical information do you look for to help you design a plan of care?

Similar to the RN, Physical Therapists utilize the same clinical information. The way we interpret that information is different. While both disciplines look at past injuries or medical conditions, Physical Therapists look for things that would impact someone’s ability to move safely.

An RN might note that a client had a hip replacement 10 years ago and acts to assure that all MD visits are taken care of. A Physical Therapist looks at that information and recognizes that lingering hip weakness may cause difficulty or pain while walking or standing and would train the Care Professional to assist the client in a different way.

When I am asked to consult with the RN, I ask about the home environment (stairs, rugs, grab bars), what type of equipment they have (walkers, canes, shower chairs), a medication list, a medical history, what is the client’s current ability level, and what can I do to help!

Q: How do you monitor a client’s progress while receiving home care support?

Through repeated checks with the client, family and care professional via in person visits, phone calls or video conferences. Watching and listening are the greatest tools I have to monitor progress. The client can tell you most things you need to know, both verbally and through their level of comfort with movement and their ability to perform their daily tasks. Care professionals are my eyes and ears when I am not there and are invaluable in knowing what adjustments need to be made to the plan of care for a client.

Q: If a client has a history of falls, what is your primary concern in training a Care Professional?

Identifying the cause of the fall first and then connecting the client with the appropriate medical professional to address that cause:

• Physical Therapy for weakness or pain

• Doctor for medication involvement

• Eye doctor for vision changes

If falls are due to the environment or decreased safety then those issues are addressed (extra help in the room with the rug, close monitoring in and out of the shower) for the specific needs of the client and the environment they are in. Understanding why and when the greatest risk is so that at those most critical moments the care professional is prepared.

Q: What percentage of clients, do you feel, are impacted by weakness or some movement difficulties? And what types of support are you providing?

100%! These things impact not just our clients, but all of us. Everyone has something that limits them, a pain, a weakness, a decreased ability to move, or fear. The biggest support I provide is helping our clients and Care Professionals see what these limitations are and sharing support methods and direction to manage those limitations to improve our clients’ daily lives.

Broad Street provides premium home care in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. To discuss the many ways we can help, please contact us today.