The Benefits of Community-Based Physiotherapy

The number one benefit, is simple, we come to you!    

We'll come where you need us. At home? At the pool? Your own gym? Your workplace? The riverside bike path?

You tell us where you'd like to have your appointments and sessions. 

Many clients prefer to have their therapy sessions at home. Home may be your supported accommodation, a residential aged care facility, or residing with family.  There's less hassle, no need to get ready, travel, and find parking; you just need to be at home ready and waiting for your therapist to arrive. Plus, it gives you more time to do the things you love!   

(While we are focused on physiotherapy in this article, it’s worth noting that our Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology services are also provided in the local community too!) 

But, back to community-based physiotherapy.  

There is a huge scope in what we can do as physiotherapists working with clients in their home or community settings.  

Community-based physiotherapy can include:   

• Providing assisted or independent home exercise programs.  

• Education and advice on positioning and support equipment to improve your day-to-day comfort.   

• Respiratory physiotherapy, using various techniques and equipment to support those with a compromised respiratory (breathing) system.    

• Gait and balance retraining.    

• Falls-prevention exercises.   

• Trialing and making recommendations for specific assistive technology, like; standing frames, gait aids, other specialist equipment to support mobility.   

• Pain management strategies.  

We understand the importance of collaboration and build teams with and around our clients. Your team may include therapists across Physio, OT and Speech Pathology here at Allied Therapy Services or other members of your health care team.

Each therapist supports your goals from a slightly different angle, so you can build confidence and independence. We connect in with care coordinators, positive behavior support practitioners, external therapists at other practices, family, public health services and support agencies to ensure you are getting the support you need to achieve your goals. 

A healthy and active lifestyle

Living a healthy and active lifestyle is beneficial for both physical and mental health. For people living with a disability The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercises each week (Carty et al, 2021).  

Allied Therapy Services understand that living with a disability, neurological condition or age-related changes may present extra challenges to reaching this target. Our physiotherapists work with you to find what physical activities you love and build programs to help you participate to in these more. 

We focus your physiotherapy on real objects in your world.  We use items in your home; your hallway stairs, your garden paths or your bed. This way, we can target therapy to items that you use every day so you can practice new skills in real life.

We look for opportunities to incorporate teaching moments into your everyday routines so that you have the maximum opportunity to learn and practice what we do in your therapy session. Need to feed the dog? That's the perfect opportunity to practice skills in standing, bending, hand control and walking! 

There are a variety of physiotherapy programs which may support your larger health goals:   

• Hydrotherapy programs   

• Community-based gym programs, at the gym of your choice   

• Home-based exercise programs

• Falls prevention, balance assessments and recommendations.

• Mobility assessment (transfers from sitting and walking, indoors or outdoors)

• Gait aid assessment and prescription

• Equipment prescription, including seating systems, wheelchairs

• Running retraining   

• Learning or relearning to ride a bike   

• Returning to your favourite sport   

• Linking you in with local all-abilities sporting teams.   

We also share your therapy program and strategies with parents, carers or anyone else in your daily life.  By sharing our skills and techniques with your daily support network, you have the maximum opportunity to develop the skills you need.  

Plus, it means, practice can occur every day, which is a lot more than a Physio can provide in a single one-hour appointment! 

Our mobile, community-based, physiotherapy teams are available in; Albury-Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Warrnambool and the Western Melbourne suburbs.

Allied Therapy Services supports people aged 16 years and over.

If you have a NDIS plan, you can include our physiotherapy supports via your Capacity Building Supports budget. We also accept Home Care Package and private referrals.   

References:  

*Carty et al (2021), The First Global Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for People Living With Disability, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18, 86-93.