As Australia’s population continues to age, there is an increasing risk of falls and general physical decline in the community, potentially leading to serious injury and hospital admissions. 

As children return to school, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is urging parents not to be wary of children carrying a backpack of moderate weight, as research has shown that weight-bearing activity can help to prevent back pain in adolescence.

Physiotherapists and older Australians have achieved a win in the ongoing discussions to reform the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI), after Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ken Wyatt announced on 6 December that the time limits on 12.4b programs would be set at 80 minutes. 

The improved budget and design of facilities for general rehabilitation patients under Transforming Health has been welcomed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), who say that physiotherapists’ expertise is finally being listened to.