Steve Woollard started what was originally Neuro-Rehab At Home over 17 years ago as a home visiting physiotherapy service for people with neurological conditions from his home in West Melton.
“While the hospital system would provide care for people who had recently had a neurological injury and get them well enough to be discharged home, there were very few services for these people once they did get home,“ Mr Woollard said.
“Being able to provide ongoing rehabilitation for people in their own homes really enabled them to develop improved mobility, balance and function within their own living environment which is really different to working in a hospital gymnasium. It was also much easier for people as travelling, especially for those requiring wheelchairs, is much more difficult and time consuming – It was much easier for me to go to them than them come to me.“
Since then the business has grown to more than 200 people providing not only a physiotherapy service but also occupational therapy, speech pathology, exercise physiology, neuropsychology, clinical psychology, music therapy, dietetics, remedial massage therapy and a team of Allied Health Assistants.
“What gets me most excited is that while I once could help around 40 people when working just on my own, we now regularly help around 4000 people with a disability to live life full of choice, inclusion and new possibilities.
Mr Woollard opened a fully equipped rehabilitation clinic in High Street, Melton, last year.
“Being able to bring a world-class facility to where the business originated and where we support hundreds of people, both directly to people with a disability and also in the form of local employment for Melton, gave me great satisfaction.“
