Steady Through Winter

Strength and Balance Physiotherapy for Elderly People at Home

Written with and reviewed by Debbie Richards, Clinical Director & Principal Physiotherapist (HCPC-registered) · Last reviewed October 2026

Book a Winter Strength & Balance Check

When the evenings draw in and the weather turns, most of us do less. Fewer walks in the park, along the coast or through the forest, fewer trips into town, more time in a favourite chair. For older people, a few quiet weeks like that can quietly take away strength and balance that were there in the summer.

Steady Through Winter is about keeping what you have. Our HCPC-registered physiotherapists visit you at home to check strength, balance and walking before winter sets in — and then help you keep them, all the way through to spring, with a plan built around your own home and everyday life.

Arranging this for yourself or for someone you love? Just call Salveo Forma on 07384 590177 and we’ll take it from there.

Why winter matters

Cold, dark and sometimes icy days keep many of us indoors — and some people stay in because they’re worried about slipping. It’s completely understandable. But muscles that aren’t used can weaken surprisingly quickly: studies have found measurable muscle loss in older adults after just a couple of weeks of being much less active.⁵

1 in 3people over 65 has at least one fall a year — around half of people over 80¹

8%more hip fractures in December to February than in the summer months³

2 weeksof doing much less can be enough to start losing muscle⁵

The winter cycle

For some people, winter isn’t a one-off dip. It can become a cycle:

Winter

We do less, and lose a little strength and balance.

Spring and summer

We feel a bit less sure on our feet — so we don’t do quite as much as we used to.

The next winter

We start from a lower point, feel less confident, and do less again.

Year after year, confidence can fade and the world can get smaller — and worrying about falling is itself linked to a higher chance of a fall.⁶

Steady Through Winter is about breaking that cycle. Keep your strength through the winter, and you reach the summer steady and ready to do more — so each year can mean getting stronger, not weaker.

The good news: strength and balance can be kept

This is one of the best-researched areas in physiotherapy. A major review of 81 trials found that exercise programmes including balance and everyday-movement exercises reduced the number of falls by around a quarter in older people living at home.²

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that adults over 65 do activities that build strength and balance on at least two days a week.⁷ National guidance on falls says exercise programmes work best when they’re tailored to the person and gently progressed over time⁴ — which is exactly what a physiotherapist does.

The Winter Strength & Balance Check

A home visit from one of our physiotherapists — ideally before the worst of the winter weather.

What happens

A chat about what’s changed — how you’re getting about, anything that’s become harder, and any worries about falling.
Simple, recognised tests of getting up from a chair, walking and balance, so we can see where you are now.
A walk around your home together — the stairs, the bathroom, getting in and out of bed and your favourite chair, and the route out to the car or the bin.
A personal plan — a few exercises that fit your day, and practical changes that help.
A short, plain-English summary for the family (with your permission), so everyone knows how you’re doing and what will help.

After the check — your choice. For some families, one check is all they need for peace of mind. If we notice weakness or unsteadiness, we’ll tell you plainly, and suggest how physiotherapist-guided follow-up sessions could build your strength back up — with check-in visits through the winter to make sure you’re keeping it. You decide what’s right for you.

Prices

Winter Strength & Balance Check our initial home assessment, 60 minutes or more	£110
Follow-up sessions and winter check-ins	from £55
First phone consultation	Free

No GP referral needed. We aim to visit within 1–7 days of your call. BUPA accepted and invoiced directly.

Occupational therapy: our occupational therapist works in east Dorset and can help with equipment and changes around the home. Elsewhere, we’ll point you to your council’s occupational therapy service.

Call Salveo Forma on 07384 590177

Signs it might be time for a check

You know your mum, dad or partner best. These are the signs families most often tell us about:

holding on to furniture or walls to get around the house
avoiding the stairs, the garden or going out
walking more slowly, or shuffling
struggling to get up from a chair or out of bed
a recent trip or fall — even one that “didn’t matter”
just home from hospital, or recovering from an illness
seeming nervous or less confident on their feet

Please note: if there has been a fall, new dizziness, a blackout or a sudden change in balance, speak to the GP or call NHS 111 as well. In an emergency, call 999.

Keep moving at home this winter

You don’t need a gym. Small, everyday moves help keep legs strong and balance sharp.

1. Stand up when the kettle boils

Sit on a sturdy chair, then stand up and sit down slowly a few times. Use your hands to help if you need to.

2. Heel raises at the kitchen worktop

Hold the worktop with both hands, rise up onto your toes, then lower slowly.

3. March on the spot during the adverts

Hold on to something solid and lift your knees one at a time.

Staying safe

Always hold on to something solid, like a kitchen worktop or a heavy chair, and use a sturdy chair without wheels.
Have someone nearby if you’re unsure.
Start with 2–3 of each and build up slowly. Stop if you feel dizzy, short of breath or in pain.
This is general advice — not a substitute for your own GP’s advice or a physiotherapy assessment.

The NHS also has a page of simple balance exercises you can do at home.⁸

Out and about when it’s icy

Getting out still matters in winter — fresh air, daylight and seeing people all help. On icy days:

Take your time. There’s no need to rush for the bus or the post.
Stick to gritted routes where you can. Your council publishes which roads and paths it grits, and many have salt bins residents can use.⁹
Keep your phone with you when you go out.

Free help near you

We’re a local, community-focused team, and we want everyone to stay steady this winter — whether or not they use us. These free and low-cost services can help too.

Dorset (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)

Dorset HealthCare Community Therapy Team — self-referral on 01202 718457 if you can’t get to outpatient appointments. Age UK North, South & West Dorset seated exercise classes — 01305 269444.

Hampshire

Hampshire County Council’s Steady and Strong balance classes — over 100 across the county, no referral needed. 0370 779 0106.

Wiltshire

Wiltshire Council’s falls prevention exercise classes, including in Salisbury — 07799 074312.

Somerset & North Somerset

Age UK Somerset’s Stay Strong Stay Steady programme — 01823 345614.

Bath & North East Somerset

The Community Wellbeing Hub — 0300 247 0050.

Bristol & South Gloucestershire

Wesport’s strength and balance class finder — 0117 328 6250.

Anywhere: Age UK Advice Line, free, 8am–7pm every day — 0800 678 1602.

Salveo Forma is a private home physiotherapy service. We work alongside the NHS and these local services, never instead of them.

Debbie Richards, Clinical Director of Salveo Forma

Why Salveo Forma

HCPC-registered physiotherapists who are members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
150+ years’ combined experience, much of it in the NHS
A small, local team — you usually see the same physiotherapist each time
Led by Debbie Richards, our Clinical Director
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy from one local team (occupational therapy currently in east Dorset)
We also visit residents in care and nursing homes across the areas we cover

Call Salveo Forma on 07384 590177 View Our Prices

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help my elderly parent stay steady this winter?

Encourage them to keep moving little and often — everyday activity and simple strength and balance exercises on at least two days a week all help. A Winter Strength & Balance Check gives you a clear picture of how they’re doing now and a plan that fits their home. Call Salveo Forma on 07384 590177.

Mum keeps falling. Can a physiotherapist help?

Yes. Exercise programmes that build balance and strength can help reduce the risk of falling, and a physiotherapist tailors them to the person. But repeated falls should always be checked by the GP too — there can be medical causes, such as medication, blood pressure or eyesight.

She’s unsteady but won’t accept help. What can we do?

It’s very common — many people don’t want to feel fussed over. A home check can feel less like “help” and more like a practical plan to keep doing what she enjoys, in her own home. Many families find it easier to start with a single visit, and our physiotherapists are experienced at putting people at ease.

What happens at a Winter Strength & Balance Check, and how much is it?

It’s our home assessment — 60 minutes or more — for £110. We check strength, balance and walking, look at the home together and agree a personal plan, with a short written summary for the family (with permission). Follow-up sessions and winter check-ins are from £55.

Do we need a GP referral?

No. You can contact Salveo Forma directly, for yourself or for someone else. Call 07384 590177, 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

Which areas do you cover?

We visit people at home across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Bath and Bristol. Find your area.

Physiotherapy or occupational therapy — which do we need?

Physiotherapy builds strength, balance and walking. Occupational therapy focuses on making everyday tasks and the home easier and safer. Our occupational therapist currently works in east Dorset; elsewhere, your council’s occupational therapy service can help, and our physiotherapists can advise on where to start.

Is it safe to exercise at home in winter?

Yes, for most people, as long as it’s done safely — hold on to something solid, start gently and build up. If there’s been a recent fall, dizziness or a change in balance, speak to the GP first. A physiotherapist can make sure the exercises are right for the person.

Stay steady through winter — and into spring. Book a Winter Strength & Balance Check for yourself or someone you love.

Call Salveo Forma: 07384 590177 Find your area