You know the statistics. One in four seniors falls every year. In Nassau County, 88% of injury hospitalizations for adults over 65 come from falls—not car accidents, not anything else. Falls.
But here’s what most people don’t realize: falling isn’t inevitable. Your balance can improve. Your strength can come back. And you don’t need to leave your house to make it happen.
When you work with a physical therapist trained in fall prevention, you’re not just doing generic exercises. You’re following a program proven to reduce falls by 35-40%. That’s the Otago Exercise Program—one of the most researched and effective elderly fall prevention methods available. It’s personalized to your home, your risks, and your current abilities.
The outcome? You walk to the mailbox without second-guessing yourself. You get up at night without fear. You stay in your own home, on your own terms.
We’ve been serving Nassau and Suffolk County for over a decade. We’re not a new name trying to prove ourselves—we’ve already built trust with thousands of Long Island families who needed real help, not just a sales pitch.
Our therapists are trained specifically in fall prevention. They understand the Otago method, they know how to assess your home for hazards, and they treat you like a person, not a case number. Every session happens in your own living room, kitchen, or hallway—the actual places where you need to feel stable.
Old Bethpage has one of the highest senior populations on Long Island, with over 18% of residents aged 65 and older. That means you’re not alone in this. And it means we’ve seen your exact situation before—and helped people just like you get their confidence back.
First, a licensed physical therapist comes to your home for a full assessment. They’ll watch how you move, test your balance and strength, and walk through your house to spot fall risks you might not have noticed. This isn’t a quick look—it’s a detailed evaluation.
From there, they build a custom program based on what your body needs right now. If you’re already strong in some areas, great—you won’t waste time there. If your ankles are weak or your reaction time has slowed, that’s where the focus goes. These are senior balance exercises designed specifically for you.
You’ll meet with your therapist one-on-one, usually a few times a week at first. Sessions happen in your home, so there’s no commute, no waiting room, no exposure to germs. And because it’s in your actual environment, your therapist can help you practice the movements that matter most—getting in and out of the shower, navigating stairs, reaching for something on a shelf.
Over time, the program adjusts. As you get stronger and more stable, the exercises evolve. The goal isn’t just to prevent a fall next week—it’s to give you long-term confidence and independence.
Ready to get started?
You get a therapist who shows up on time, works with you for the full session, and doesn’t rush out the door. You get exercises that are challenging but safe—nothing that puts you at risk while you’re trying to get better.
You also get a home safety evaluation. Your therapist will point out loose rugs, poor lighting, furniture placement, or bathroom setups that increase your fall risk. Most people don’t realize that 60% of fall-related hospitalizations happen at home. Small changes make a massive difference.
And yes, this is covered by Medicare. You’re not paying out of pocket for something that should be accessible. If you have Original Medicare Part B or a Medicare Advantage plan, in-home physical therapy is typically covered when it’s medically necessary—and fall prevention absolutely qualifies.
Long Island ranks higher than the state average for fall-related incidents. Nassau and Suffolk counties are 4th and 5th in New York for fall prevalence. You live in an area where this is a real, documented problem. But you also live in an area where help is available, experienced, and proven to work.
Yes. Medicare Part B covers in-home physical therapy when it’s medically necessary and prescribed by a doctor. Fall prevention qualifies, especially if you’ve already had a fall, you have balance issues, or your doctor has identified you as high-risk.
You don’t need to show that you’re going to improve to get coverage. Medicare also covers therapy to maintain your current function or prevent decline—which is exactly what fall prevention does. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, coverage works similarly, though you’ll want to confirm your specific plan details.
The key is that the therapy has to be skilled, meaning it requires the expertise of a licensed physical therapist. Cookie-cutter exercises you could do on your own don’t count. But a personalized Otago-based program delivered and adjusted by a professional? That’s covered.
The Otago Program isn’t just a list of exercises—it’s a researched, structured system that’s been tested in multiple clinical trials. It was developed in New Zealand specifically to reduce falls in high-risk older adults, and it works.
Studies show that people who complete the Otago Program reduce their fall risk by 35-40%. It combines strength training, balance exercises, and a walking plan, all tailored to your current ability level. The exercises get harder as you get stronger, so you’re always progressing.
What makes it different is the customization and the follow-through. A physical therapist doesn’t just hand you a sheet of exercises and leave. They work with you in your home, watch your form, adjust the difficulty, and make sure you’re doing movements that actually address your specific risks. It’s not one-size-fits-all. It’s built for you.
Most people start feeling more stable within the first few weeks. You might notice that you’re catching yourself faster when you lose balance, or that getting up from a chair feels easier. Those are early signs that your strength and coordination are improving.
The full Otago Program typically runs for several months, with sessions tapering off as you get stronger. Research shows the biggest reduction in fall risk happens when people stick with the program for at least 12 weeks. But you’re not waiting three months to feel a difference—progress builds week by week.
The timeline depends on where you’re starting from. If you’re already fairly active but just need some fine-tuning, you might progress faster. If you’ve had multiple falls or haven’t been active in a while, it might take a bit longer. Either way, your therapist will set realistic expectations and track your progress so you know exactly where you stand.
No. In fact, if you’ve already fallen, you’re exactly the person who needs this most. A previous fall is one of the strongest predictors of falling again—but it’s also a clear signal that something needs to change.
After a fall, many people develop a fear of falling again. That fear leads to less activity, which leads to weaker muscles and worse balance, which increases fall risk even more. It’s a cycle. Physical therapy breaks that cycle by rebuilding your strength and your confidence at the same time.
Your therapist will start where you are right now. If you’re still recovering from an injury, they’ll work around it. If you’re nervous about certain movements, they’ll progress slowly and safely. The goal is to get you back to doing the things you’ve been avoiding—not to push you into something that feels dangerous.
You can find balance exercises online, sure. But here’s the problem: you don’t know if you’re doing them correctly, if they’re the right exercises for your specific risks, or if you’re progressing at the right pace. And if you do them wrong, you could actually increase your fall risk.
A physical therapist evaluates your gait, your strength, your balance, and your home environment. They identify risks you didn’t know you had. Then they design a program that addresses those exact issues—and they watch you do the exercises to make sure your form is safe and effective.
They also adjust the program as you improve. What works in week one won’t be enough in week six. A therapist knows when to increase resistance, when to add complexity, and when to pull back if something isn’t working. That’s the difference between guessing and actually preventing falls.
In-home therapy means your therapist sees the actual environment where you’re at risk. They can spot the uneven threshold between your bedroom and bathroom. They can watch you navigate your kitchen. They can assess your lighting, your rugs, your furniture layout—all the things that don’t exist in a clinic.
It also removes every barrier that keeps people from going to appointments. No driving. No bad weather. No exposure to illness in a waiting room. No fighting traffic or finding parking. Your therapist comes to you, on your schedule.
For older adults in Old Bethpage and across Nassau County, transportation is one of the biggest reasons people skip therapy. In-home care solves that. You get the same quality treatment, the same skilled therapist, and the same Medicare coverage—but you get it in the place where you actually need to feel safe.
Local Resources
Useful Links
Other Services we provide in Old Bethpage
