Care agency gives elderly more independence

A WOKINGHAM physiotherapy firm is expanding its offerings by launching a new care agency.

Therapies on Thames, which offers home visit physiotherapy and occupational therapy support, plans to launch the service at the beginning of next year.

Raj Senniappan, cofounder of Therapies on Thames, said it is all part of the company’s overarching goal to help people stay independent for as long as possible.

“We are on a mission to create a one-stop shop service for our elderly, to keep them strong and safe in their homes as long as we can,” he said.

“We also want to prevent our elderly people from going into care homes early, so we’re looking to diversify.”

Tanya Campbell, business development manager at the therapy firm, said the company realised some elderly people have had negative experiences with care in the past, and wanted to launch a service that people could “have faith in”.

“We’ve got a big focus on rehabilitation, and we want to help people with the right care,” she added.

“In the long-term, this can save people money because they don’t have to pay to go into a home if they’re getting regular physio in their house.

“It also means they can live there for longer than they might do otherwise.”

Therapies on Thames, which launched in 2012, also offers day-care support with WADE on Reading Road, including leading exercise and rehabilitation classes.

It has partnered with Bridge House in Twyford, too, to support people following surgery, illness and accidents.

“We find a lot of patients need some form of care after coming to us for physio, and vice versa,” Ms Campbell said.

“So we think the new care agency could be very useful.”

Mr Senniappan co-founded Therapies on Thames after previously working in Royal

Berkshire Hospital (RBH), where he realised elderly people could benefit from ongoing support outside of the NHS.

“We have a three-pronged service,” the business development manager added.

“We do physiotherapy, offer hospital-avoidance work, and clinic-based support.

“With the NHS under pressure, people have struggled to get appointments, so we bridge the gap.”

Therapies on Thames is in the process of hiring a care manager to help prepare for next year’s care agency launch. n