Home Care Package Physiotherapy: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you have a Home Care Package and want a physiotherapist to visit you at home, the good news is that home care package physiotherapy is one of the services your package is designed to support. This guide walks you through it step by step: how physiotherapy fits in, who to talk to, who pays, and how to get your first visit booked.

A quick note on Home Care Packages and Support at Home

From November 2025, the Home Care Packages Program was folded into the Australian Government’s new Support at Home program. Many people still say “Home Care Package” out of habit, and that is completely fine. If you already had a package, you were carried across automatically and should not have lost any of the care you had. Whichever name your paperwork uses, physiotherapy works in much the same way: it sits under clinical care and is arranged through your provider as part of your care plan.

One detail worth knowing early: under Support at Home, clinical services such as nursing and physiotherapy are fully funded by the government when they are approved as part of your care plan, with no personal contribution based on your income or assets. Importantly, this clinical funding sits separately from the everyday-living budget you may contribute towards, so approved physiotherapy generally does not eat into the funds you use for other supports. Because everyone’s plan is set up a little differently, it is always worth confirming the specifics with your care manager.

What physiotherapy can help with at home

A home visit is not a watered-down version of clinic physiotherapy. In many ways it is more useful, because your physiotherapist sees the real environment you move around in every day. Common reasons older adults arrange physiotherapy through their package include:

• Balance, strength and mobility — practical work to help you move more confidently around your own home.
• Reducing the risk of falls — an individualised program plus a look at trip hazards, lighting, rugs, steps and bathroom safety.
• Getting going after hospital or illness — rebuilding stamina and confidence so you can return to your usual routine.
• Managing ongoing pain or a chronic condition — for example arthritis, Parkinson’s, recovery after stroke, or a respiratory condition.
• Walking aids and equipment — advice on whether a stick, frame or rail would help, and how to use it safely.

This is general information rather than advice about your own situation. The right starting point is always an assessment with a physiotherapist, who can tailor a plan to you. You can read more about our physiotherapy for seniors and aged care physiotherapy if you would like a fuller picture of what a program can look like.

Step by step: getting physiotherapy through your package

Step 1: Check who manages your package

Your first job is simply to work out who your point of contact is. Most people have a care manager (sometimes still called a case manager) at their approved provider who helps plan and approve services. If you self-manage, you may be arranging services more directly yourself. Either way, find their name and phone number before you go any further — you will need them.

Step 2: Raise physiotherapy with your care manager

Tell your care manager you would like physiotherapy included in your care plan, and why. You do not need medical language — a plain description is perfect. For example: “I have had two near-falls in the last month and I would feel safer with someone helping me with my balance,” or “Since my hospital stay I get puffed just walking to the letterbox.” A clear goal — such as “walk to the mailbox unaided” or “get in and out of the shower safely” — helps your care manager plan the service and set it up in your care plan.

Step 3: Choose your physiotherapy provider

You are generally free to choose who delivers your physiotherapy, as long as they can work with your package provider. If you would like a mobile physiotherapist who comes to you, you can ask your care manager to engage Khy Physio, or you can contact us first and we will liaise with them. Under Support at Home, providers publish their price list on their website and through My Aged Care, so you can see what services cost up front. Because we come to you, there is no travel or transport for you to organise — see the suburbs across Melbourne and the Geelong region we cover to check we visit your area.

Step 4: Let the provider and your care manager sort out the paperwork

This is the part people worry about most, and it is usually the easiest. In practice, your physiotherapy provider contacts your care manager, introduces the service, and your care manager approves a service agreement. You do not need to project-manage this — a good provider handles the back-and-forth for you. Your role is mostly to say yes and to book a time that suits you. If you would like us to get that ball rolling, you can request an in-home visit here and we will take it from there.

Step 5: Have your assessment and set goals

Your first session is an assessment. Your physiotherapist will talk through your history, watch how you move, check your balance and strength, and look at your home environment. Together you will set a small number of clear, meaningful goals. From there they will recommend how often you should be seen — this varies from person to person and depends on your goals and how your care plan is set up.

Step 6: Review as you go

Under Support at Home, ongoing funding is released in quarterly budgets rather than one lump sum for the year, so it helps to think in terms of a few months at a time. Your approved physiotherapy is funded separately from your everyday-living budget, but it is still worth checking in with your care manager every few months. If physiotherapy is really helping, they can look at your plan; if you have met your goals, you might shift to a lighter “maintenance” schedule.

What your package can and cannot cover

Physiotherapy under your package typically covers:

• Home visits for assessment and treatment.
• A tailored exercise program and progress reviews.
• Falls-prevention work and home-safety recommendations.
• Advice on mobility aids and safe technique.
• Education for you and, where helpful, your family or carers.

Things to be aware of: some items — such as the actual purchase of certain equipment — are handled differently and may need separate approval, so always confirm with your care manager before assuming a cost is covered. And while approved clinical physiotherapy is fully funded, the number and frequency of sessions still depends on your assessed needs and care plan, which is exactly why setting clear goals with your care manager matters.

If you do not have a package yet

If you are not on a package but think you would benefit, you can register with My Aged Care (phone 1800 200 422) to request an assessment. Because a package can take time to come through, it is worth knowing you do not have to wait to start physiotherapy. Many people begin privately, or through Medicare’s chronic disease management arrangements via their GP, and then continue under their package once it is approved. You can see the ways we help people fund care on our funding and pricing page.

Other funding, if a Home Care Package is not the right fit

A Home Care Package is one of several ways to fund in-home physiotherapy, and it is not right for everyone. If you are under 65 and living with disability, physiotherapy through the NDIS may suit you better. Veterans and their families can look at our DVA-funded physiotherapy options. And if your care is being arranged under the newer Support at Home program, we can work within that too. If you are not sure which door to knock on, our team is happy to point you in the right direction.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay anything for physiotherapy through my Home Care Package?

Under the Support at Home program that replaced Home Care Packages, clinical services including physiotherapy are fully government-funded when approved as part of your care plan, with no personal contribution based on your income or assets. This clinical funding also sits separately from the everyday-living budget you may contribute towards. Everyone’s plan is set up a little differently, so it is always worth confirming the details with your care manager.

Do I need a GP referral to use my package for physiotherapy?

You generally do not need a GP referral to see a physiotherapist under a Home Care Package or Support at Home — approval usually comes through your care manager and care plan. That said, keeping your GP in the loop is always sensible, especially if your health has changed recently.

How many physiotherapy sessions can I have?

There is no single set number. It depends on your assessed needs, your goals, and how your care plan is set up. Your physiotherapist will recommend a frequency at your first assessment, and you can review it with your care manager as you go.

What if I have a fall or sudden severe pain before my visit?

Physiotherapy is for planned, ongoing care — it is not for emergencies. If you have a fall you cannot get up from, sudden severe pain, chest pain, signs of a stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech), or loss of bladder or bowel control alongside back pain, call 000 straight away. For anything urgent but not an emergency, contact your GP or Nurse-on-Call.

Ready to get started?

Using your Home Care Package for physiotherapy is more straightforward than it looks — the key steps are talking to your care manager, choosing a provider you trust, and letting them handle the paperwork. If you would like a friendly mobile physiotherapist to visit you across Melbourne or the Geelong region, request an in-home assessment or get in touch with our team. We are glad to help you sort out the funding side so you can focus on moving well and staying independent at home.

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