Hello and Welcome to the Senior Stride Academy!
If you’ve found your way here, it’s likely that you or a loved one is serious about staying healthy and safe as you age and if this is indeed the case, then kudos to you!
My name’s Will and I’ve been a physical therapist (PT) for over 15 years now (that sounds like a long time when you type it out like that).
I received my Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from VCU back in 2008 and started out in outpatient orthopedics.
There I spent my days treating all kinds of joint and muscle issues – back pain, joint replacements, rotator cuff issues… you name it, we treated it.
After a couple of years though, I switched gears and transitioned to home health, where I still work today.
As a PT in the field of home health, I’ve had the opportunity to treat patients in the comfort of their own homes, which I must say can be both a blessing and a burden at times.
It’s great for most of the patients because they don’t have to worry about traveling to a PT clinic, but not all homes are well designed for therapy… it certainly keeps me on my toes and forces me to adapt my game plan at times.
Anyway, as a home health PT, I spend most of my time working with seniors, so I’ve certainly gained an appreciation for the specific challenges that come with age.
Achy joints, mobility issues, medication management, fall risk, and co-morbidities are just a few of the obstacles our seniors face day to day.
And while these issues can make exercising more challenging, they don’t make it impossible – trust me when I say there’s always a way to adapt an exercise routine to meet your needs.
As a therapist, I’m of the opinion that any exercise is better than none and that movement is essential for folks of all ages.
The worst thing we can do as we get older is to stop moving!
Anyway, I started this website to provide a resource for seniors and caregivers looking for information about exercising and staying safe at home.
We’ll be exploring topics that include reducing fall risk, choosing appropriate assistive devices, exercise ideas for various musculoskeletal issues, and plenty of other physical therapy related questions.
Oh, but more about me.
I mentioned that I’m a home health PT by trade, but when I’m not treating patients (or working on this site) I spend most of my time hanging out with my wife and 2 kids, exercising, learning piano, or watching movies.
I also enjoy shooting hoops, listening to music, and reading the occasional novel.
I hope you find the Senior Stride Academy helpful (and maybe even a little entertaining) and if there are any topics or questions you’d ever like to see explored, just let me know.
You can leave comments on any post or email me at will@seniorstrideacademy.com if you prefer and I’ll get back to you shortly.
-Will, PT