Home Health Physical Therapy

Home health physical therapy encompasses a wide range of services that PTs and PTAs provide in the home.

If you practice physical therapy in a home setting, we have resources to support you.

The APTA Home Health Section is specifically dedicated to those who share a common interest in the delivery of physical therapy in the home and other alternative settings within the community.

Home health care can be cost-efficient, convenient, and as effective as the care patients get in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Home health PTs and PTAs work one-on-one with patients in their own environment, making services completely relevant to the patient's needs and goals.

Additional Home Health Physical Therapy Content

Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills (PASS)

Jul 31, 2019 / Article

PASS is a client-centered, performance-based, criterion-referenced observational outcome measure that examines the patient’s and client’s ability to function safely and independently in the community. The tool assesses performance of functional mobility skills, basic activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), scoring each task on the task independence, safety, and adequacy using a four-point ordinal scale. There are two versions of the tool, Pass-Home and Pass-Clinic.

Functional Gait Assessment (FGA)

Jun 11, 2019 / Article

FGA is a modification of the Dynamic Gait Index and was created to help decrease the ceiling effect and improve reliability.

Achieving Peak Bloom – Defining Moment

May 29, 2019 / Article

Cheryl Till, PT, discusses the joys of gardening and eldercare.

Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (HOOS, JR)

May 17, 2019 / Article

This is a patient-reported survey measuring overall hip health for individuals post total hip replacement (THR) by evaluating pain, function, and activities of daily living.

The Facts About Upcoming Changes in Home Health Payment

May 01, 2019 / Column

Here's what's true about the Patient-Driven Groupings Model-and what's not.

Study: Home Is a Better Bet Than Hospitals for Achieving More PA Poststroke

May 22, 2018 / Review

There's no place like home for engaging in the levels of physical activity that can aid in recovery poststroke—at least compared with hospitals.

Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Movement Disorders Societ...

Dec 01, 2017 / Article

Used for patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD of any stage, according to the Hoehn and Yahr Staging Scale (H&Y).

Dementia Quality of Life Instrument (DEMQOL), and DEMQOL-Proxy

Aug 30, 2017 / Article

A 28-item self-reported measure related to health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) in patients with dementia.

Alzheimer’s Disease Related Quality of Life (ADRQL)

Aug 17, 2017 / Article

A revised version of the ADRQL was developed based on analyses of the psychometric properties of the original ADRQL and consists of 40 items addressing the same domains.

Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Behavioral Pain Scale

Aug 15, 2017 / Article

A behavioral pain assessment scale used for nonverbal or preverbal patients who are unable to self-report their level of pain.