Home health physical therapy
Physical therapy at home helps with strength, balance and walking, so moving around your own home is safer. Your therapist works with you on the stairs, floors and furniture you use every day and gives you exercises to do between visits. BREMA’s therapists visit patients at home across Dallas–Fort Worth.
At a visit
A physical therapist comes to your home, checks how you move and practices the moves of your day with you. Here is what to expect.
Your therapist asks about your health, your goals and what feels hard right now. They watch how you walk, stand up and get around your home, and check your strength and balance. Then they build a plan with you and your doctor.
You work on exercises and on real tasks, like getting out of bed, using your stairs and walking to the kitchen or bathroom. Your therapist checks your progress and adjusts the plan as you get stronger.
You get a short set of exercises to do on your own, shown step by step. Family members can learn safe ways to help you move.
Home or clinic
Home health physical therapy is for people who find it hard to leave home, and outpatient physical therapy is for people who can get to a clinic. If you can get to a clinic without much effort, your doctor may suggest outpatient therapy instead.
Usually not. Under Medicare, home health is for people who are homebound, which means leaving home is hard because of an illness or injury. If you drive to the store and run errands most days, you are usually not homebound. Homebound doesn’t mean you can never leave: medical appointments, religious services and short, occasional trips are fine.
What homebound meansSource: Medicare.gov, Home health services (opens in a new tab)
| Topic | Home health PT | Outpatient PT |
|---|---|---|
| Where | In your home | At a clinic or hospital |
| Who it’s for | People who are homebound | People who can get to a clinic without much effort |
| Getting there | Your therapist comes to you | You travel to each visit |
| What you practice on | Your own stairs, floors, bed, chair and bathroom | Clinic exercise space and equipment |
Who it helps
Home physical therapy helps adults who are getting their strength and balance back after surgery, a fall, a stroke or a hospital stay.
Your therapist can teach you safe ways to help someone stand, walk or get in and out of bed, so you both feel more confident.
Common questionsRecovering from a stroke can also mean help with speech or swallowing. See speech therapy at home.
Home exercise safety
Do the exercises your therapist gave you, the way they showed you, and stop if something feels wrong. Ask your therapist before adding exercises from a video or app.
How long it lasts
It depends on your goals, your progress and your doctor’s orders. Visits are often more frequent at the start and fewer as you get stronger. Your therapist explains the schedule at the first visit and keeps your doctor updated.
Home PT ends when you reach your goals or are no longer homebound. Many people then move on to outpatient therapy to keep building strength, if their doctor orders it. Your therapist helps you plan that step and leaves you with exercises to keep doing.
PT and OT
Physical therapy helps you move, and occupational therapy helps you do the daily tasks that matter to you. Many people get both under the same plan of care.
Coverage
Yes, if you qualify for home health: you are homebound, your doctor orders the care and you need part-time skilled care, such as physical therapy, from a Medicare-certified agency. Under Original Medicare, you pay $0 for covered home health visits. Medicare Advantage and other plans vary, so our intake team checks your benefits before the first visit.
Who qualifies and what Medicare pays
Source: Medicare.gov, Home health services (opens in a new tab)
Yes, if you qualify for home health and your doctor orders it. Therapy at home can start after you leave the hospital, while walking and stairs are still hard. When you can get out more easily, you may move on to outpatient therapy.
There isn’t one set number for everyone. Your visits come from the plan of care your doctor signs, based on your needs and goals, and Medicare covers them while you still qualify for home health. See who qualifies.
They do different jobs. Home PT helps you move safely in your own home while leaving is hard. Outpatient PT can offer more equipment once you can get there. Your doctor and therapist help you decide which fits right now.
Usually not. Your therapist works with what you already have, such as a sturdy chair, your stairs and your bed. If a walker, cane or other equipment would help, your therapist talks with your doctor about it. Under Original Medicare, you pay 20% for durable medical equipment after the Part B deductible.
Yes. Family members are welcome, and your therapist can teach them safe ways to help you stand, walk or get in and out of bed.
BREMA’s nurses and therapists visit patients at home across Dallas–Fort Worth. Coverage can vary by ZIP code, so call us to confirm an address. See our service area.
Yes. You can choose any Medicare-certified home health agency that serves your area. Tell your doctor or hospital case manager you want BREMA.
For physicians, discharge planners and case managers
Fax the referral to 214-339-2733 or call 214-339-9466, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. You’ll have a yes or no within 30 minutes.
Make a referral What to sendCall us Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. We can tell you if home health may help, whether we serve your address and if we take your plan, even if you haven’t talked to your doctor yet. You choose your home health agency, and you can ask for BREMA by name.
