Julie Rope says she often uses basic household items in providing therapy. Photo / Graeme Sedal

Julie Rope says she often uses basic household items in providing therapy. Photo / Graeme Sedal

Name: Julie Rope.
Age: 34.
Role: Home-visiting neurological physiotherapist for Rope Neuro Rehabilitation.
Working hours: Seven days, usually 9 to 5, but sometimes evening, early morning to fit in around people's work schedules.
Average salary: $60,000 to $70,000.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Otago University.

What do you do?

We provide physiotherapy to people in their own homes, rest homes or private hospital settings. About 60 per cent of our clients self-fund; the other 40 per cent are ACC clients.

We have a special interest in neurological rehabilitation which means helping people with strokes, multiple sclerosis, head injuries, Parkinson's and spinal and neurosurgical rehabilitation.

We also provide education on manual handling to carers and staff in residential homes and in private agencies that provide carers into homes. This is to protect carers and clients from further injuries.

Our car is our office. We can bring most types of therapy equipment with us, but we also use things in people's homes.

Your background?

I graduated as a physiotherapist in 1997 and did my junior rotations at Auckland Hospital before specialising in neuro-physiotherapy.

Then I went to England and Wales for six to seven years and worked in hospitals and community settings. When I worked as a community mobile therapist, I visited clients on a push-bike.

That experience really helped me learn to be lateral and flexible - you can't carry too much equipment on a bike! Both roles were priceless experiences for what I do now.

Why set up a mobile service?

When I returned to New Zealand in 2006, I worked on contract for Auckland Hospital and noticed the lengthy time clients had to wait to get therapy after leaving hospital because of the heavy demand on the Ministry of Health-funded community health services.

I saw a gap for a business providing physiotherapy for people who could afford to pay while waiting at home for community services, or wanted further therapy after their community services funding ceased.

I researched carefully, talked to GPs, neurologists, neuro-surgeons and support societies, and decided to go for it. That was three years ago.