Walking and balance
Assess gait, turning, foot clearance and balance during relevant tasks. Select supervised practice and a manageable home programme, with enough support to challenge movement safely.
Falls risk and mobility · Western Sydney and The Hills
Understand falls risk in the tasks that matter
A fall or near miss can change how someone moves around their home. Tandem provides mobile physiotherapy for adults with balance, mobility or disability-related concerns, working to reduce falls risk while supporting everyday participation.
A functional assessment
Look beyond a balance score
Falls often involve several interacting factors. Assessment explores what happened, where and when it occurred, the task being attempted and the support or equipment in use. A near miss can also identify a useful opportunity for review.
The physiotherapy component considers walking, balance, strength, transfers and activity tolerance. It sits within a multifactorial approach that identifies when medical, occupational therapy or other assessment is needed. Risk can be reduced, but falls cannot always be prevented.
See Tandem’s Clinical Focus and About Chris for the service’s clinical background.
Assessment where it happens
From the bed to the bathroom and beyond
Home assessment considers usual routes, furniture and assistance; community assessment may address uneven paths, kerbs or longer distances.
Strength and transfers
Work on the physical capacity and technique needed to rise from the usual chair, move from bed or negotiate a step. Recommendations account for the available space and help required.
Mobility aids and fatigue
Check aid fit, use and suitability in the actual environment. Consider whether fatigue, rushing or the length of a task changes steadiness, and plan rest or assistance accordingly.
Environment and shared routines
Observe obstacles, access and lighting concerns that affect movement. With consent, practise agreed assistance with carers or support workers. Occupational therapy may be needed for a fuller environmental assessment, home modifications or complex equipment.
Address contributing factors with the right team
Dizziness, fainting, medicine effects, vision changes, footwear, continence needs and other health issues can influence falls risk. Physiotherapy observations help identify concerns; they do not replace assessment by the relevant clinician.
With consent, Tandem can liaise with the GP, occupational therapist, pharmacist, nursing team or other treating professionals. Medical causes and medicine reviews remain with the appropriate clinicians, and home-modification planning requires suitably qualified input.
A fall involving injury, fainting or a sudden change in health may need prompt medical assessment before routine rehabilitation. Tandem is not an emergency or post-fall response service.
Referrals and service area
Share the circumstances, not just the number of falls
Anyone can enquire. Describe recent falls or near misses, any injury or medical review, current mobility, assistance and safety goals. Referring for someone else requires consent or appropriate authority.
Visits cover Western Sydney and The Hills District, including Penrith, subject to location, suitability and availability. See Service Areas.
Private enquiries welcome. NDIS funding: self-managed and plan-managed only; Tandem is not NDIS-registered. Falls risk alone does not establish funding eligibility. Funding and required approvals are confirmed before services start.
When a neurological condition also affects balance
For rehabilitation after a stroke, see stroke physiotherapy. Where freezing or difficulty initiating movement contributes, read about Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism. Fluctuating mobility and fatigue are also considered in MS physiotherapy.