Chronic disease is often associated with the most unwell members of our population or the elderly.
So, you might be shocked to find out that 1 in every 2 Australians are living with a chronic disease.
A chronic disease refers to any condition that has been (or is likely to be) 6 months or longer.
Dealing with a chronic disease isn’t easy but it’s important to remember that simple lifestyle adjustments, behavioural changes and sourcing professional advice can reduce the burden of disease.
At Lifecare we can support you with chronic disease management.
Providing lifestyle modifications, targeted exercise programs and self-management advice which can help address risk factors linked with chronic conditions.
Types of health conditions physiotherapy can be beneficial for
- Arthritis (osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis)
- Headaches
- Incontinence
- Diabetes (type 1 and type 2)
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Musculoskeletal conditions
- Lymphoedema
The role of physiotherapy with managing a chronic disease
With the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, it’s important to seek a health professionals’ advice.
Significant evidence shows that physiotherapy can achieve improvements with pain, mobility and a person’s quality of life.
A physiotherapist’s overall goal is to restore and improve your function after disease or injury.
50% of Australians known to have a chronic illness have more than five concurrent chronic conditions.
Early intervention is key to minimising the impact of a chronic condition and preventing the development of other chronic diseases.
Other lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy body such as regular physical activity, a healthy diet and reducing alcohol consumption are essential to preventing and managing a chronic disease.
Chronic disease management program
An initiative provided by Medicare to provide support for Australians with chronic conditions is the chronic disease management (CDM) program (formerly enhance primary care or EPC).
If deemed eligible by your GP, through the CDM program, you may be able to access up to five bulk-billed allied health treatments across the calendar year including physiotherapy and podiatry.
For example, if you are referred to an allied health service, up to 5 sessions will be partially covered by Medicare (depending on the service) – as long as these services are provided within the following 12 months.
The five services may be made up of one type of allied health services such as physiotherapy or a combination of different services, e.g. four physiotherapy treatments and one podiatry session.
If you are currently experiencing or at risk of developing a chronic disease, Lifecare has the expertise to support each step of your journey towards a better quality of life.