“It feels weird letting a stranger into my home to do osteopathic therapy,” this is a common sentiment we mobile physical therapists hear and we completely understand. Having a physical therapist you haven’t yet met visit your home to give you a treatment for the first time can be a vital service for some people yet it can also generate feelings of anxiety.
To help you overcome these anxieties, here are my top tips for creating safety, comfort and trust when having a home appointment with your mobile Manual Osteopath or physical therapist (video version below)
- Book appointments with the therapist in their clinical location before having a home visit.
- Arrange a video consultation, phone call or even a coffee in a local café.
- Have a family member, friend or care-giver present at home during your appointment.
- Read the therapist’s Google and Trust Pilot reviews and scores, and check their professional association members list to make sure they are qualified and experienced – all of which can be found easily online.
- Most mobile therapists have booking systems with a safety feature that sends alerts to their loved ones or their businesses when checking in and out of appointments so somebody else knows where they are and where they should be. You can set up a similar notification protocol with your family members, friends and carers so they know what time your in-house appointment is, who is visiting your house (give them your therapist’s details), when they have arrived and when they have left your home.
And remember that safety, comfort and trust works both ways. Physical therapists providing mobile services for clients they haven’t met, in new unknown locations also need to feel safe. Meeting your therapist before an in-home appointment can help build reciprocal trust and safety between yourself and your Osteopath.
Follow the above steps and any other ways that reassure you and mobile in-house Manual Osteopathy, or whichever physical therapy you choose, will be an invaluable and convenient addition to your health routine.
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