Our Allied Health
Patricia (Tricia) Maggs
B.App Sc (Phty) Grad Dip in Phty (Neurology)
Our Physiotherapist
Patricia Maggs (Tricia) completed her Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy at Lincoln Institute in Melbourne. She then worked in Melbourne, England and in Germany before returning to Australia and working in the fields of Gerontology and Neurology and completing her Post Graduate Diploma in Neurology (Physiotherapy) at Melbourne University. For the last nine years Tricia has worked as the Aged Care Physiotherapy team leader at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Park Campus managing the physiotherapy service to 94 Geriatric Evaluation and Management beds as well as Community Therapy Services to the Aged Care population. During her time at Royal Park, Tricia has developed, co-ordinated and presented at an annual multi-disciplinary dementia seminar day for which she was nominated for an excellence award. She has published in the Australian Physiotherapy Journal on balance and mobility outcomes for stroke, presented at the Australian Physiotherapy Association on Physiotherapists Knowledge about Dementia and had a poster at the Australian and New Zealand Sarcopenia and Frailty Research Conference on the importance of ambulation and the feasibility and efficacy of progressive resistance exercise training.
At Age Right Physiotherapy, Tricia provides specialised rooms- based therapy as well as mobile and telehealth physiotherapy services to older adults. She sees her role as a Gerontological Physiotherapist is to improve people’s lives through exercise following acute and acute on chronic injuries and for chronic disease management. She can also provide guidance to healthy aging clients to maximise their ongoing independence and well-being. In her first session with the client, she completes a thorough physical assessment based on the client’s history. During this assessment she will assess the client’s functional capacity to move around the bed, transfer, walk, ascend and descend steps. She will identify specific signs such as strength, range of movement, balance, speed and exercise tolerance that she can use to remeasure progress. She will also use objective measures such as the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). In a follow-up review she will use the information gained from this assessment to create an individualised exercise program. She will discuss with the client (and their carer if appropriate) how much support they would like to complete these exercises at home or in the Age Right rooms and devise with them an ongoing management plan.
The client can have as much or as little support to achieve their physical goals as they would like at Age Right. Following the client’s assessment and exercise program development, Tricia can provide them with a program and any necessary equipment to do the exercises independently. The client can choose whether to work independently or with ongoing support 1:1 or in the rooms in a small group or in a combination of these possibilities. Exercise can change your life – but you have to do it! At Age Right we want to help make it possible.
Dr Margaret Pozzebon
Our Speech Pathologist
Dr Margaret Pozzebon is a Speech Pathologist who has extensive clinical experience helping people with speech, language, cognitive-memory, and swallowing difficulties arising due to a neurocognitive illness such as dementia, cognitive decline, stroke, or a neurodegenerative condition. She has worked leading Melbourne-based health services across the various points of care; such as in specialist dementia diagnostic clinic (called ‘CDAMS’), inpatient wards, rehabilitation centres, community-outreach programs, residential aged care facilities, and in private practice.
Margaret takes a client-centred and wholistic approach when working with individuals and their partner/families to help and support them in dealing with their current circumstances. Her underlying working philosophy is based on ‘knowing the person’ and that communication is essentially for making an emotional connection with others. Margaret is dedicated to providing a high-quality service to her clients, and in doing so strives to help people live their best life despite the illness challenges.
Dr Margaret Pozzebon is a Speech Pathologist who has extensive clinical experience helping people with speech, language, cognitive-memory, and swallowing difficulties arising due to a neurocognitive illness such as dementia, cognitive decline, stroke, or a neurodegenerative condition. She has worked leading Melbourne-based health services across the various points of care; such as in specialist dementia
diagnostic clinic (called ‘CDAMS’), inpatient wards, rehabilitation centres, community-outreach programs, residential aged care facilities, and in private practice.
Margaret takes a client-centred and wholistic approach when working with individuals and their partner/families to help and support them in dealing with their current circumstances. Her underlying working philosophy is based on ‘knowing the person’ and that communication is essentially for making an emotional connection with others. Margaret is dedicated to providing a high-quality service to her clients, and in doing so strives to help people live their best life despite the illness challenges. Her PhD completed in 2019 investigated the spousal experience of supporting their partner living with dementia, specifically Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). This research resulted in several well cited journal publications. Margaret continues to work collaboratively with a small consortium group of international speech pathologists who are seeking better understand the emotional-communicative needs of people living with a language-led dementia (such as PPA) and applying this knowledge to inform practical and evidence-based approaches to intervention.
Geriatricians, Neuropsychiatrists, GPs, Neuropsychologists, aged care services and concerned family members all seek out Margaret’s high-quality expertise, particularly for diagnostic evaluations for possible language-led dementia conditions, as well as to provide therapeutic intervention and management for adults diagnosed with common and atypical forms of dementias.
Margaret is available for face-to-face consultations at the Age Right consulting rooms in Malvern East, for home-based visits and in residential aged care facilities. Telehealth consultations can also be arranged on request.
Jayde & Leonie
OUR PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
At Age Right, we prioritize the unique needs of our patients. Our experienced physiotherapists, Jayde and Leonie, offer both group and one-on-one physiotherapy sessions to ensure the best care for our clients.
Group Physiotherapy Sessions
Our group sessions are specifically designed for the rehabilitation of older adults. These classes provide a supportive environment where patients can connect with peers facing similar challenges. Over the years, this sense of community has fostered motivation and encouragement among participants.
In our group settings, clients share experiences, celebrate successes, and inspire one another to achieve their goals. The camaraderie and peer support play a crucial role in enhancing adherence to exercise programs and overall engagement in rehabilitation. Additionally, our sessions incorporate cognitive exercises that stimulate memory, attention, and problem-solving skills, helping to maintain cognitive function and mitigate the effects of aging.
One-on-One Physiotherapy Sessions
For those who prefer personalized attention, we offer one-on-one physiotherapy sessions. These private classes allow for tailored treatment plans designed to meet individual needs, ensuring effective rehabilitation and optimal physical function. Our one-on-one sessions provide a confidential space for clients to address personal health concerns comfortably.
Whether you choose group classes for community support or one-on-one sessions for personalized care, Age Right is dedicated to helping you achieve your rehabilitation goals.
