Before Your First Home Physical Therapy Visit: A Preparation Checklist

Written by David Kim Physical Therapist, PT Sep 16, 2026

Preparing for a first home physical therapy visit is mainly about making your situation clear. The therapist needs to understand your current instructions, the activities you want help with, and the home where those activities happen. You do not need to practice an unfamiliar exercise or rearrange the entire house before the evaluation.

This checklist helps you gather the information you already have and decide what to ask. Your own clinician’s instructions take priority over a general preparation guide.

Before the visit is confirmed

Ask the agency what is still needed for intake. That may include referral information, the visit address, contact details, and information for an individual coverage review. A discussion about services is not the same as a confirmed appointment or a coverage determination.

If the care will take place at a relative’s home, make that clear. In Los Angeles, the address on an insurance card may not be the address where someone is staying after a hospital visit. Confirm where the therapist should go and whom to contact about access.

Put current instructions in one place

Gather the records and notes you have been asked to provide. You do not need to create a new medical history from memory. If something is missing or confusing, write down the question and tell the agency.

• Current discharge or clinician instructions, including any movement restrictions.
• A current medication list, if one is available, and questions about discrepancies.
• The referring clinician’s contact information.
• Information about equipment already being used.
• Instructions from other home health clinicians, if care has already begun.

Keep the dates visible so the therapist can distinguish a current instruction from an older one. Do not independently stop medication, remove a restriction, or combine old and new exercise plans to prepare for the visit.

Choose two or three everyday questions

A short list of meaningful activities helps explain what matters to you. You might want to discuss moving from your usual chair, reaching the bathroom with the recommended assistance, or navigating the route between the bedroom and dining area.

Describe what you currently do and where you have questions. “My son helps me at this doorway, and we are unsure whether we are following the instructions correctly” gives the therapist a specific situation to assess. There is no need to demonstrate the task before the therapist asks.

If walking or transfers have changed, our guide to describing a mobility change can help you organize observations. Report new concerns through the appropriate clinical channel rather than waiting simply because a visit is scheduled.

Share access details and keep usual equipment available

Tell the agency about building entry, stairs, elevator access, parking instructions, or a locked gate. If a family member normally answers the door, confirm whether they will be present. These details help the clinician plan the visit without assuming that everyone enters the home the same way.

Keep your usual walking aid and other relevant equipment available. Avoid heavy furniture moving or unfamiliar physical tasks in preparation. If the space is crowded, explain that; the therapist needs to understand the real environment, not a temporary setup that will disappear after the visit.

Ask ahead if you have questions about clothing, pets in the home, or which room will be used. A comfortable conversation area is useful, but the evaluation may involve discussing more than one part of the home.

Decide who should join the conversation

If another person regularly helps with mobility or daily activities, ask whether they should attend. Explain what that person actually does and when they are available. An occasional visitor and a daily caregiver have different roles.

The patient should have a say in who participates and receives information. If a family member joins by phone, ask the agency how to arrange that appropriately. Request communication support in advance if it is needed, rather than assuming a particular language or format will be available.

Before the therapist leaves

Use a few minutes to check your understanding of the next steps. Ask which instructions apply now, what level of assistance is recommended, and who to contact with a question. If exercises or activities are prescribed, ask for clear individual instructions instead of relying on memory.

1. What are the priorities identified in today’s assessment?
2. Which activities should I do only with the assistance you specified?
3. What should my caregiver understand or demonstrate back to you?
4. How will questions or changes in condition be communicated?
5. What has actually been arranged for the next step?

First-visit questions families often ask

Should I buy equipment before the first appointment?

Ask the treating team first. Equipment needs depend on the individual assessment and home setup. Bring questions about an item you already own or have been advised to consider.

Will every first visit include the same exercises?

No. The evaluation, current medical instructions, and individual situation guide the visit. Do not use another person’s exercise routine as a substitute for your own plan.

How can I ask whether home physical therapy is appropriate?

Review HarvardCare’s home physical therapy information, then contact the team with your referral and intake questions. The home health overview also explains how therapy may fit alongside other ordered services.