Physical Therapy at Home
Physical therapy at home is treatment from a licensed physical therapist in the person's own home, working on strength, balance, walking, and safe movement, usually after surgery, a fall, a stroke, or a hospital stay.
Reviewed by Valerie VanBooven, RN, BSN
What's Included
- Assessment of strength, balance, gait, and fall risk
- Exercises to rebuild strength and endurance after surgery or illness
- Gait training and safe use of a walker, cane, or wheelchair
- Transfer training for getting in and out of bed, chairs, and the car
- Home safety review covering stairs, thresholds, rugs, and bathrooms
- A home exercise programme to continue between visits
Who It's For
Someone regaining mobility after surgery, a fall, a stroke, or a hospital stay, particularly when travelling to an outpatient clinic is difficult or unsafe.
Understanding Physical Therapy at Home
Physical therapy at home is the same clinical discipline delivered in an outpatient clinic, with one significant advantage: the therapist sees the actual stairs, the actual bathroom, and the actual chair the person struggles with, and can work on those directly.
It is ordered by a physician and delivered as part of home health care. The therapist sets goals with the person, works toward them over a series of visits, and reports progress back to the ordering physician.
Balance and fall prevention are a large part of the work with older adults, because a fall is one of the most common reasons independence at home ends. Much of what a therapist does is aimed at making that less likely.
Home physical therapy is time-limited and goal-directed. It runs while the person is making measurable progress and ends when the goals are met, which is why a home exercise programme to carry on independently is usually part of the plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is physical therapy at home?
Physical therapy at home is treatment from a licensed physical therapist in the person's own home, working on strength, balance, walking, and safe movement, usually after surgery, a fall, a stroke, or a hospital stay.
Who is physical therapy at home for?
Someone regaining mobility after surgery, a fall, a stroke, or a hospital stay, particularly when travelling to an outpatient clinic is difficult or unsafe.
Other Services
How to Get Physical Therapy at Home
Enter a city and state below to find home care providers in the Care Across America directory who serve that area. Contact them directly to ask whether they offer physical therapy at home and to get pricing for your situation.