Stay strong with physiotherapy at home.

For older people living at home, physiotherapy can be a powerful tool in developing strength, balance, and independence.

And for those who choose to receive the service in their own home, there are additional benefits - according to BaptistCare physiotherapist Charis Tse.

Having grown up watching her mother manage a dementia day centre, Charis is as comfortable working with older people as she is an expert in her field. She’s worked in a variety of settings, including in-hospital rehabilitation, residential aged care and more recently – community support. With her wide breadth of experience, she sees in-home physiotherapy as one of the most beneficial services available for older people, particularly as it’s fully funded by the government’s Support at Home program.

The benefits of physiotherapy at home

Working on strength, balance and staying steady on your feet might sound simple but the benefits to day-to-day life are often powerful. Some of these include:

• Preventing falls and injury
  “A lot of what I do is about helping people avoid falls,” Charis says. “If someone has a trip or a stumble, we want them to have the strength and reaction speed to quickly recover and stay on their feet.”
  
  Exercises may start small and inside the home, slowly building towards bigger goals, such as walking outside, managing kerbs, or moving across grass, gravel and driveways.
   
• Building confidence
  For some older people, the fear of falling can be as limiting as a physical injury. They may stop going outside, avoid social activities or move in overly cautious ways that make them less steady, such as constantly looking down instead of scanning ahead.
  
  Charis says confidence can become self-reinforcing. When a client practises a task several times and realises they can do it safely, they begin to rebuild trust in their body.
  
  “During sessions, we often unpack fears and anxieties and come up with practical tools that can help. I’ve always found this is an integral part of physiotherapy.”
   
• Overcoming social isolation
  Increased confidence can also reduce social isolation. If someone feels safer walking, leaving the house or accessing the community, they may have more opportunities to connect socially.
  
  One client Charis supported had recently left hospital and become quite housebound. Although her physical baseline was better than she realised, she had lost her confidence and felt afraid to go out, even with someone else by her side.
  
  “We worked on her goals to get back into the community, building strength with gentle walks. We also talked a lot about her concerns,” says Charis. “By the end of the treatment plan, she felt confident enough to cancel her showering assistance. She told me she felt like she had regained her dignity.”
  
  It wasn’t long after that, that Charis bumped into her client in Coles with her care worker. She was pushing a trolley by herself and reaching the items she needed.
  
  “It was like seeing a completely different person,” Charis recalls.
   
• Getting back to doing the things you love
  Whether that means being able to take a short stroll to the letterbox to collect the mail, or getting back to playing golf without pain, Charis says that exercises are always centred around what matters to you, so that they feel purposeful, not clinical – and most importantly, are fun.

What are some of the common obstacles to receiving physiotherapy at home

While physiotherapy is undoubtably beneficial for anyone looking to rebuild their strength and balance, often misconceptions, worry, or a simple lack of knowledge can prevent people from accessing the service. Examples include:

• “I’m not sick enough to receive physiotherapy.”
  A common concern from older clients is that they need to be seriously unwell or injured to be “eligible” for physiotherapy at home. According to Charis, the opposite is true.
  
  “Everyone can benefit,” she says. “Even if someone is walking well, we can still work on higher-level balance. And when your baseline fitness is high, it has a positive impact on your immune system, meaning you’re less likely to be as sick and your recovery will be faster.”
   
• “My home is not suitable for physiotherapy.”
  Many older people worry that their home might be too small, cluttered, or isolated. Charis is quick to reassure clients that support can be adapted to almost any home environment.
  
  She brings a small kit with weights and balance equipment, but often uses the basics already found in the home, such as a benchtop or a chair.
  
  For people who find travel difficult, in-home physiotherapy can also remove a major barrier to care. This can be especially important in regional or remote areas, where public transport may be limited or not accessible.
   
• “I can’t afford in-home physiotherapy.”
  Understandably, many people worry that personalised, in-home physiotherapy might be financially inaccessible, especially if they are living on a pension. In fact, the government’s Support at Home program offers fully funded clinical care – including physiotherapy amongst other services - with no out of pocket costs. You can learn more here.

Physiotherapy at home with BaptistCare

BaptistCare physiotherapy at home can make a significant difference in your life, promoting strength, balance, and importantly - your sense of independence

Reflecting on her wide breadth of experience in the sector, Charis says BaptistCare has a distinct difference to other care providers.

“Here, BaptistCare Care Managers meet with clients regularly face to face to see how their care is going, as opposed to only checking in over the phone or via email. This allows them to build relationships and trust, which then makes it easier to see if their clients’ needs have changed.

“It means we can organise prompt referrals before smaller concerns become bigger issues,” says Charis. “BaptistCare can also connect clients with other supports, including chaplaincy where appropriate.”

BaptistCare is a leading purpose-led care organisation, having served people and communities across Australia for more than 110 years. Guided by our strong Christian identity, we now support more than 78,000 customers to live well with dignity and purpose.