How do I use this checklist?
Work through the four sections below a day or two before the visit. Tick each box you can, leave the rest, and send us what you have. Nothing here is a test, and a half-filled list is still useful.
Print the page or keep it open on your phone. A family member can fill it in for a parent, then read it out on the day.
1. Papers and facts to gather
- Name, age and the area of Ipoh where the visit will happen.
- The diagnosis or reason for the visit, in your own words if you have no letter.
- Discharge letter, surgeon’s instructions or scan reports, if there are any.
- The medicine list, including creams, supplements and blood thinners.
- Other conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems or osteoporosis (thinning bones).
- Past falls, surgeries or injuries, with rough dates.
- The name of the doctor or surgeon to update, and whether they asked for exercise limits.
2. The home, set up in ten minutes
- A clear path from the front door to the room we will use, with shoes and mats moved aside.
- A firm chair with arms and no wheels.
- A bed or a mat for floor work, if the plan may need it.
- Good light, and a fan or air-conditioner on so everyone stays comfortable in Ipoh’s heat.
- Access to the stairs, if stair climbing is a goal. Tell us which floor the bedroom and bathroom are on.
- A dry floor in the bathroom and kitchen, because we may watch you walk there.
3. What to wear and eat
- Loose clothes that let the knee, hip or shoulder move, such as shorts or a sarong.
- Flat, closed shoes with grip, or bare feet if the floor is dry.
- A light snack and water beforehand.
- Spectacles, hearing aids and any walking stick, walking frame, brace or sling the patient uses.
4. What matters most, and questions to ask
- The three things the patient most wants to do again. Use plain words, such as “walk to the kopitiam” or “carry my grandchild”.
- What makes the problem worse, and what eases it.
- Any activity you are afraid to try. Say it, and we will plan around it.
- Ask: how frequently do you suggest visits, and how will we know it is working?
- Ask: which exercises should be done daily, and which should be avoided for now?
- Ask: what should I do if the pain increases between visits?
- Ask: how can the family stay updated if we live outside Ipoh?
What happens with the result?
Send us a photo of the papers section and the goals section on WhatsApp. We reply with how the visit would run, a quote for the plan we suggest, and anything else to prepare.
At the visit, the physiotherapist goes through your answers, checks how you move, and starts treatment. Our first visit guide and the page on how care works describe the whole path. For safety checks around the house, use the home safety checklist, and set your goals with the recovery goals worksheet.
If a sign on our when to seek medical care page applies, see a doctor first.