Frequently asked questions
Getting started
How do we get started?
Call, message on WhatsApp, or use the contact form. The form asks how to reach you and what you would like to talk about, and it deliberately does not ask for medical detail, which belongs in a conversation rather than a web form. We call back to understand the situation: who the care is for, where they are now, and what is coming next. If someone is in the hospital right now, say so first, because that changes the timing.
The first step in care is a thorough assessment in the home, covering joint motion, strength, balance, cardiovascular function, and the daily activities that matter most. After it you have a plan and a clear sense of what Backman Health can do.
Do we need a doctor's referral first?
Not to talk to us. Get in touch first, and we will tell you whether a referral or a signed plan of care is needed in your case; that depends on how the care is paid for and on the state you are in. Care billed to Medicare is delivered under a plan of care that a physician signs, and arranging that is part of getting started rather than something you have to do before calling. If your doctor or the hospital has already referred you, tell us when you get in touch and we will pick it up from there.
Who will come to the home?
For regular visits, Chaim Backman, PT, or a therapist from his team. The team includes male and female therapists and occupational therapists on staff, working to the standard Chaim sets and trained in how he practices. Your plan and your history travel with you between them, so a visit with a colleague is a continuation of the same care rather than a fresh start.
The intensive service is different by design: it is Chaim himself, one client at a time, for people whose medical needs go well beyond what a scheduled appointment can hold.
Which languages do you speak?
English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. If a family member usually translates for the person receiving care, that is fine, and it helps to mention it when you get in touch so the first visit is arranged with that in mind.
Where does Backman Health work?
Wherever the client is. The practice is based in New York, New Jersey, and Miami, and Chaim travels to his clients, across a borough or across the country. Regular physical and occupational therapy visits happen in your own home. The intensive service goes wherever someone is recovering, which has meant hospital rooms, rehabilitation facilities, a family member's house, and, for clients who keep more than one home, care that continues without starting over each season. A recovery does not reset when the address changes. If you are unsure whether your location is practical, ask; the answer is usually yes.
Therapy at home
What is the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy at home?
Physical therapy works on how the body moves: strength, joint motion, balance, walking, and stairs. Occupational therapy works on the daily activities that movement has to serve: dressing, bathing, cooking, getting in and out of bed, and the routines that make a home livable. In a clinic the two are often separate departments. At home they meet in the same rooms, which is where Backman Health delivers both, from one practice, with a team that includes occupational therapists.
If you are not sure which you need, that is a normal place to start. The first assessment is where it gets answered, and the plan that follows is built around your goals and the rooms you actually use.
Is therapy at home as effective as therapy in a clinic?
Therapy at home happens in the rooms you actually live in: your stairs, your bathroom, your kitchen counter. Progress translates directly into daily life rather than into a gym you will never visit again. The home is not a compromise on the clinic; it is the place the gains have to hold, which makes it the place to build them.
It also uses the whole day. A rehabilitation facility typically gives two or three hours of therapy a day, and the rest of the time a patient waits in their room. At home, every ordinary activity, from getting up and dressing to crossing the room and managing the stairs, is aimed toward the same goal: function and independence, sooner.
What kinds of situations do you work with?
Rehabilitation and recovery after injury, illness, or surgery; care for older adults who want to stay strong and independent at home; falls prevention and balance work; rebuilding after a serious illness or a long hospital stay, including after oncological surgery or treatment; and strength and performance for people who are past rehabilitation and want to build capacity. Each of these has its own page describing how the work is approached. If your situation does not fit neatly into one of them, get in touch anyway; the first assessment is how we find out what would help.
Does Medicare cover physical therapy at home in Miami?
Medicare Part B may cover medically necessary outpatient physical therapy when eligibility, documentation, certification, and provider requirements are met. Medicare-covered home health care is a different benefit and generally requires the patient to meet specific conditions, including a need for intermittent skilled services and, under the home health benefit, homebound status. It generally supplies two to three rehab visits a week, for approximately thirty to forty-five minutes per session.
Backman Health & Wellness provides Medicare-accepted physical and occupational therapy visits only in selected Miami-area communities. The practice bills Medicare directly, and those visits are with Chaim or a therapist from his team. Coverage is determined individually based on the patient's benefits, medical necessity, plan of care, provider participation, and any secondary insurance.
Medicare does not pay for full-day intensive rehab care at home. Chaim's nationwide intensive rehabilitation program is a separate private-pay service, allowing the schedule to be developed around the patient's clinical needs, tolerance, and agreed plan rather than the insurance-authorized visit frequency. This allows him to provide all the rehab the patient needs, notwithstanding any insurance limitations. The Annual Movement Checkup and strength and conditioning coaching are also private pay. Patients should confirm their individual coverage before treatment.
In the hospital and after
Can a physical therapist begin working with a patient while they are still hospitalized?
Yes, under most circumstances. Beginning rehabilitation before discharge can help prevent further loss of strength and prepare the patient for a safer transition home. In many cases, Chaim has been able to start assisting the patient the same way a family member is allowed and encouraged to help the patient get up and start moving, just not as an officially recognized physical therapist due to hospital legal limitations.
He has worked at the bedside on appropriate activities such as positioning, bed mobility, exercises, sitting, standing, walking, and preparation for the patient's home environment. The program always depends on the patient's medical condition. His purpose is not to replace the hospital team, but to provide additional attention and continuity of care. This allows the rehabilitation to begin before discharge, continue throughout the day as tolerated, and continue with the same therapist after the patient returns home.
This is part of Concierge & Travel Care, which is Chaim himself, working with one client at a time. If someone in your family is in the hospital now, get in touch and describe the situation.
How quickly should mobility begin after hospital discharge?
Mobility should generally resume as soon as the patient is medically stable and the medical team determines that activity is safe. In many cases, rehabilitation should begin in the hospital and continue promptly after discharge rather than waiting for additional weakness and deconditioning to develop.
The first activities may be modest: changing position, sitting upright, standing, transferring to a chair, or walking a short distance with assistance. The appropriate starting point depends on the patient's surgery, precautions, symptoms, vital signs, weight-bearing status, and overall medical condition.
As part of the evaluation, we assess the patient rather than relying on a fixed timeline. New chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, sudden confusion, unexplained oxygen changes, or other concerning symptoms require medical attention. The goal is early but appropriately monitored mobility, not activity that disregards medical precautions.
How can physical therapy help after a prolonged hospitalization?
A prolonged hospitalization can cause a significant decline in strength, balance, endurance, mobility, and confidence. Activities that were previously automatic, such as getting out of bed, standing, walking to the bathroom, climbing stairs, or preparing food, may suddenly require considerable effort or assistance.
Physical therapy identifies the patient's current limitations and develops a progressive plan to rebuild function. Treatment may address bed mobility, transfers, walking, balance, cardiovascular endurance, strengthening, breathing, fall prevention, and use of mobility equipment. Occupational therapy may also address dressing, bathing, energy conservation, and other daily activities.
Because we work in the patient's actual environment, rehabilitation can focus on the specific tasks required at home. For medically complex patients, we also coordinate with the physicians, nurses, family, and other members of the care team so the rehabilitation plan remains consistent with the patient's medical recovery.
What happens when a patient is too weak for conventional physical therapy?
Being unable to tolerate a conventional therapy session does not necessarily mean that rehabilitation must stop. It may mean that therapy needs to begin at a lower level and be delivered differently.
Treatment may start with positioning and exercises while still in bed, breathing exercises, active and/or assisted movements, rolling, sitting at the edge of the bed, or practicing a transfer. Even a few safe repetitions can provide a starting point. Activity is divided into short periods throughout the day so the patient has time to recover between efforts.
We evaluate what the patient can do safely and build from that point. We also monitor the patient's response, including symptoms and appropriate vital signs, and communicate any concerns to the medical team. If the patient appears medically unstable, the priority is medical evaluation rather than pushing through a therapy session.
How much therapy does a severely deconditioned patient need?
There is no single number of hours or visits that is appropriate for every severely deconditioned patient. The correct amount depends on the cause of the weakness, medical stability, prior level of function, endurance, cognition, recovery goals, and how the patient responds to activity.
Many severely deconditioned patients can't tolerate two to three prolonged sessions in a day and would benefit from multiple shorter periods of carefully monitored activity throughout the day. This can include supine in-bed exercises, sitting, standing, transfers, and short walks separated by adequate rest. As tolerance improves, the amount and difficulty of activity can be advanced.
The program is based on an individual evaluation and coordinated with the medical team. Longer therapy sessions are not automatically better; they must be appropriately dosed. The goal is to provide enough safe repetition to stimulate progress without overwhelming the patient or interfering with medical recovery.
Can physical therapy help someone regain the strength needed to continue medical treatment?
Physical therapy can help a patient rebuild the strength, endurance, mobility, and functional capacity needed to tolerate or continue medical treatment. This may be especially important after surgery, hospitalization, cancer treatment, infection, or a prolonged period in bed. This is especially true for chemotherapy, as one of the most common criteria Chaim has found to start chemo is that the patient has to be able to walk 50 to 100 feet. This is a marker of endurance and strength needed to withstand the rigors of chemo.
The rehabilitation plan may focus on getting out of bed, standing, walking a required distance, managing stairs, improving endurance, and safely completing daily activities. For a very weak patient, treatment may begin with short, frequent periods of activity and progress as tolerance improves.
Physical therapy cannot guarantee that a patient will become eligible for a particular treatment. That decision belongs to the treating physician and depends on the patient's complete medical condition. Our role is to address the functional barriers that can be improved through rehabilitation and to communicate the patient's progress and response to activity to the medical team.
Intensive rehabilitation at home
What is intensive in-home rehabilitation?
Intensive in-home rehabilitation is a private, one-on-one model for patients whose needs extend beyond a conventional physical therapy appointment. Instead of limiting rehabilitation to one scheduled session, movement and recovery are incorporated throughout the patient's day.
Treatment may include exercises, bed mobility, transfers, walking, balance, endurance, dressing, bathroom activities, stair practice, meal preparation, safe movement through the home as well as all needed functional activities related to the patient's goals and prior level of function. Rest periods are built into the program according to the patient's medical condition and tolerance.
It is built for high medical needs: a person on a ventilator, or someone whose long hospital stay has left them deeply deconditioned. Where it is wanted, the responsibility extends past the therapy itself to seeing that diet and medication are integrated into the day, and to noticing the small changes in a person's condition that are easy to miss when nobody is watching closely.
Chaim accepts one intensive client at a time, allowing the program to be adjusted throughout the day as the patient's needs change. This is a private-pay service available nationwide, subject to medical appropriateness and applicable requirements.
How is intensive rehabilitation different from standard home health physical therapy?
Standard home health physical therapy generally consists of two to three scheduled visits per week, often lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes each, during which the therapist evaluates the patient, provides treatment, teaches exercises, and establishes a home program. It can be very effective for patients whose needs can be addressed within that structure.
Intensive rehabilitation is intended for more complicated situations in which a short visit may not provide enough time or continuity. Chaim remains with one patient for extended periods, typically 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, allowing rehabilitation to be integrated into all activities of the day, such as getting out of bed, walking to the bathroom, dressing, using the stairs, preparing food, and moving safely through the home.
The difference is not simply a longer exercise session. It is the ability to observe the patient throughout the day, provide repeated opportunities for movement, allow appropriate recovery periods, and continuously adjust the program, as well as work in close contact with all other members of the care team. Because the intensive program is private pay, its schedule is developed around the patient's clinical needs and tolerance rather than the visit frequency authorized by an insurance plan.
Can someone receive intensive rehabilitation at home instead of entering a rehabilitation facility?
For most patients, yes. The correct setting depends on the patient's medical stability, nursing requirements, home environment, available support, and rehabilitation needs. As long as the right level of care is set up at home, the patient can return home safely and the rehabilitation program can be arranged.
Chaim's intensive service is designed for selected patients who want to recover at home but need substantially more support than conventional scheduled therapy visits provide. Rehabilitation is incorporated throughout the day using the patient's actual bed, bathroom, stairs, kitchen, and living space. He coordinates closely with the family and medical team. Before recommending this approach, he reviews the patient's condition, safety requirements, equipment needs, caregiver availability, and home environment with the patient, family, and the medical team.
Traveling after a hospital stay
Can a private physical therapist travel home with a patient after discharge?
Yes, this can be arranged. Chaim has developed a hospital-to-home model in which he can meet the patient before discharge, help prepare for the transition, accompany the patient during travel when appropriate, and continue rehabilitation at the destination.
The exact plan depends on the patient's medical condition, transportation method, physician clearance, hospital policies, destination, and applicable professional requirements. Before travel, he reviews mobility, transfers, equipment, medications, and medical instructions with the appropriate team. He also considers the practical demands of the trip, including getting into a vehicle, navigating an airport, managing a wheelchair, using a bathroom, and entering the destination safely.
Travel assistance must be planned in advance. It is not emergency medical transportation and usually does not replace an ambulance or medical flight.
Who helps a patient travel safely after surgery or hospitalization?
The appropriate assistance depends on the patient's medical and functional needs. A family member or ordinary travel companion may be sufficient for someone who is medically stable and largely independent. A patient who requires mobility assistance, monitoring, oxygen, significant transfer help, or medical care may need a trained professional, medical escort, wheelchair service, ambulance, or medical flight.
Chaim provides private travel assistance for selected elderly and post-surgical patients traveling to or from Florida. He can help assess the physical demands of the trip, practice transfers beforehand, coordinate equipment, assist with mobility, and continue rehabilitation after arrival.
Before accepting a case, he reviews the patient's needs and available medical information with the family and the patient. If the patient requires emergency transport, continuous nursing, or services outside his role, he will recommend that the family arrange the appropriate level of professional transportation in addition to his services.
Other services
What is the Annual Movement Checkup?
A yearly physical for the way you move. You see a physician once a year, and your movement deserves the same. The checkup is a comprehensive screen of strength, mobility, balance, and gait, measured so that changes can be tracked year over year. It finds the small asymmetries and weaknesses that, left unchecked, become the falls and injuries of later years, while they are still small and far easier to correct. You leave with a written, personalized plan to maintain strength, mobility, and independence. It is a single visit, private pay, and useful as preventive care at any age.
What is a Home Safety Review?
A room-by-room review of the home itself, walked with a physical therapist's eye. Most falls happen at home, in rooms people have crossed safely for decades; what changes is the body moving through them, and the house is usually the easier of the two to fix. The review follows the routes a person actually takes, from bed to bathroom, chair to kitchen, front door to street, and looks at where a grab bar would help and at what height, which rug or threshold is a trip waiting to happen, whether the light between bed and bathroom is enough at three in the morning, and whether a call alarm is in place and reachable from the floor.
Findings come back as a written report, ranked by what matters most, so a family can act on it, including families whose parents live in another state. Nothing is sold or installed.
Do you offer training beyond rehabilitation?
Yes. Recovery is the beginning, not the end. Strength and conditioning coaching builds lasting strength, endurance, and resilience once you are out of pain, drawing on Chaim's background as a USA Triathlon certified coach and certified health coach. That includes running coaching, whether you are starting from nothing or have run for years: form first, then breathing, stance, how the foot meets the ground, and getting shoes and gear right for your stride. Because your therapist and your coach are the same person, the conditioning is built on a safe, informed foundation. It is ongoing coaching, private pay, for competitive athletes and for grandparents who want to keep up with grandchildren alike.
Still have a question?
Describe the situation and we will tell you plainly what Backman Health can do, and what it cannot.