Support at Home (Homecare Package)
In-home physiotherapy for Support at Home (Home Care Package) clients
Getting help should not depend on getting to a clinic. Upward Physiotherapy provides physiotherapy home visits across Greater Melbourne for older adults using a Home Care Package or the new Support at Home program. We help you build strength, improve balance and stay confident with everyday movement, in the place where that movement actually happens. Once services are approved through your provider, physiotherapy is funded through your package.
When movement becomes harder, life can start to feel smaller
Pain, weakness or fear of falling can quietly change the way you live. You may stop walking as far. You may avoid the shower unless someone is nearby. You may hold onto furniture more often. You may say no to family outings, appointments or everyday tasks because you are not sure how steady you will feel. Over time, moving less can lead to feeling weaker, less confident and more dependent on others. Upward provides strength and exercise intervention to help alleviate the following issues:
Loss of mobility
Poor balance
Lack of confidence
Who this service is for
Older adults
Older adults who want to remain safe and independent at home
Recovery at home
People recovering from illness, injury or a hospital stay
Package-funded clients
People using a Home Care Package or Support at Home funding
Families and care teams
Families, carers, care managers and package providers arranging support for someone they look after
Care without clinic travel
Anyone who finds travelling to a clinic tiring, painful or impractical
Supporting referrals across Greater Melbourne. Send us the details and we’ll reply within one business day.
How physiotherapy helps
How to get started
A family member, carer or care manager is welcome to make the first contact on your behalf.
How home care package funding works
Home Care Packages are being transitioned into the new Support at Home program, but many people still know the funding by its old name. We use both, because families search for both.
In practical terms, in-home physiotherapy is a clinical service that can be funded through your package when it supports your assessed needs and goals.
The usual steps look like this:
1. You or your family request physiotherapy with your package provider or care manager.
2. The provider approves the service and confirms the arrangement with us.
3. We schedule your initial assessment and begin care.
If you are not sure what your package covers, ask your care manager, or contact us and we can point you in the right direction. We work with Support at Home providers and case managers across Melbourne every week, so the process is familiar territory for our team.
Care built around your real environment.
Practical treatment at home
Continuity with the same physiotherapist
A coordinated personal care team
Why in-home physiotherapy suits older adults
Clinic-based care has its place, but it asks a lot of someone who finds movement difficult. Travel, parking, waiting rooms and unfamiliar equipment all add friction, and exercises are often designed for a gym rather than a home. In-home physiotherapy removes that friction.
More importantly, it lets your physiotherapist see how you actually move through your day: the hallway you walk down at night, the bathroom that worries you, the front step you have started avoiding. Treatment built around your real environment tends to be more practical, and easier to keep up between visits. We also aim to provide continuity of care. Whenever possible, you will see the same physiotherapist from visit to visit, so your clinician gets to know your history, goals, routines and progress.
You are not starting from scratch each time. If other members of the Upward team are involved, they work together as your personal care team, keeping your plan consistent and centred on you.
What happens in your first session
Your first session is more in-depth than a regular appointment. It gives your physiotherapist time to understand what has been happening, what is holding you back and what you want to be able to do.
Together, you will discuss: Your physiotherapist will also complete a thorough assessment of your movement and function. This may include measurable tests such as how long it takes you to stand up five times, how long you can balance on one leg or how far you can walk safely. These measures give you a clear baseline. They allow your physiotherapist to track real progress over time, rather than relying only on whether you feel stronger. We may repeat key measures at review points, often around three months, to see what has changed and adjust your plan.
What a typical physiotherapy session looks like
Your personalised treatment plan
Your personalised plan puts the important information in one clear place. It explains:
The problems you are experiencing
For example, feeling unsteady, being unable to walk very far or having knee pain.
Our advice
This may include pacing your activity, taking more frequent rests or getting up to move every 20 minutes.
The likely causes we have identified
This might include leg weakness, reduced ankle control or doing too much too quickly.
Your exercise program
You receive specific exercises selected for your needs, with guidance on how to complete them safely.
Your goals
These are linked to the activities that matter to you, such as walking 200 metres to the shops within 12 weeks.
Your recommended visit schedule
We explain how often we suggest seeing your physiotherapist and when your progress should be reviewed. Your plan is not generic. It is based on your assessment, your home environment and the goals you want to achieve. As you improve, we update your exercises, adjust your goals and change the plan to match your progress.
Working with families and care teams
Good aged care is a team effort. With your consent, we keep family members, carers, care managers and package providers in the loop, so everyone understands the plan and the progress being made. Families tell us this communication is one of the things they value most, because it removes the guesswork.
