The Otago Exercise Program (OEP) is an evidence-based, highly effective fall risk management program. Since the initial validation in the mid-1990s it has been delivered and proven effective with patients in home health, skilled nursing, outpatient, and wellness settings. Regardless of the setting, when the OEP exercises are prescribed, at the right intensity and duration, fidelity is maintained optimal outcues are achieved. Though highly effective, clinicians are often challenged to efficiently integrate OEP into their plans of care. This course reviews OEP, and models best practices in integrating OEP prescription progression.
Fall rates are at a crisis level, and falls are a very negative life-changing event. You have the power to disrupt this downward spiral with your patients. Are you interested in prevention, but you just don’t know how to get it into your current practice? This course will show you to integrate fall prevention right in your current plan of care. In this course you will learn what this powerful tool is, see it applied to case examples, participate in doing the exercises, and practice how to integrate fall prevention using the evidence-based fall prevention exercise Otago. Prevention is in the palm of your hand, any older adult over 65 is at a 30% increased risk of falling. If you add injury, inactivity, and illness that number can double! Come learn how to screen for fall risk. What science has taught us as the best interventions for these huge problem areas falls. Come learn how to change the lives of the patients you are caring for now!
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
- Recall Key components of OEP implementation models to achieve optimal client outcomes.
- Identify effective strategies to integrate the OEP into a plan of care.
- Develop an exercise program for a patient who has been identified to benefit from the Otago exercise program.
- Progress and monitor Otago exercise HEP program withing a plan of care for a patient with identified increased risk for falls.
- Develop a plan of care, goals, and problem list for a patient who would benefit from the Otago exercise program.
- Recognize best practices to support long-term adherence to and compliance with the program.
Otago background and fundamentals – 1 hour
Why it matters: (10 min)
- Falls are the leading cause of injury and death among older adults; lifestyle changes that incorporate regular balance and strength exercises can decrease an older adult’s fall risk (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022).
- The OEP is one of the most effective fall prevention programs for frail older adults and should be integrated into the plan of care for all appropriate clients in all post-acute settings, regardless of diagnosis (Robertson et al., 2001).
Otago background (where it came from, it’s dissemination in US): (15 min)
- Quick background of the OEP
- Why is it different than the other evidence-based fall prevention programs?
- Need to revisit guidance statements after 10 years of dissemination in the US
- Goal of updated guidance – keep fidelity to the program while at the same time minimizing implementation barriers
- Overview of key components to achieve fidelity
- Key finding – do the exercises, do not modify the exercises
Otago then and now: (15 min)
- Overview of key changes and evidence supporting for implementation models
- The role of the PT regardless of the setting and the rationale as to why the PT can be a consultant vs a primary provider
- Settings – Research supports OEP delivery in the following settings in addition to the home
- Format – 1:1 is still valid, but can be done.
- Format – 1: 2+
- Participants – not just for the frail
- Clinically appropriate – no longer age-based
- MCI, dementia, IDD
- People can graduate! When it is no longer a challenge then move on!
- Key finding – do the exercises, do not modify the exercises
What IS Otago: (20 min)
- Key components and fidelity (10 min)
- Key components:
- Outline the 17 exercises, talk about progression and challenge
- Fidelity (FITT)
- Key components:
- Let’s go through them with Dr. Shubert to experience them: this VIDEO example) (10 min)
Clinical Application: 60 minutes
Appropriate Participants
Otago case examples-
- Case 1 : PNA, home health pt
- Evaluation: assessments, correlation to impairments, goals
- Intervention: initial HEP with husband present
- Visit two: ed caregiver OEP w/ pt, add progression, review challenge importance
- Next visit: progression of HEP
- Discharge visit: retest, review scores and correlations, goals met, dc to OP therapy to reach all LTGs
- Evaluation: assessments, correlation to impairments, goals
- Case 2: low back pain, OP therapy
- Evaluation: tests and measures, ROM, strength, identify impairments correlation to tests, create goals, issue HEP
- Visit two is Telehealth
- Review HEP and progress
- Visit three is Telehealth
- Review HEP and progress
- Visit four is Telehealth
- Review HEP and progress, introduce you tube OEP
- Visit five: Progress visit in person
- Retest, review goals, pt education on long term ex plan, review app based OEP, community programs. Progress HEP
- Visit six: in person
- Review and progress, next visit in 2 weeks for dc
- DC visit: retest, long term HEP plan in place, verify pt internalization of key components, dc
Community resources, the continuum of care: 30 minutes
- Blue marble
- Stony Brook?
- Group Otago: video
- Students (Marymoor, other school?)
- Zoom anywhere??
- You Tube: Dr Shubert
- Training
- HEP
How would you integrate Otago with your patients? 30 min
- Open discussion
EDUCATIONAL CREDIT: A certificate of attendance for 3 contact hours of educational activity (3 CEUs or 0.3 CEUs depending on how your Practice Act determines CEUs in your state) will be awarded to registrants upon completion of the Recorded Webinar.
Great Seminars and Books is an Approved CE Provider for PTs and PTAs in OK, NY, IL, CA, TX, & NM and this Recorded Webinar provides 3 contact hours of continuing education. This course is approved as online cont. ed. hours for PTs and PTAs licensed in MD, LA, FL, NJ, and OH. This course meets the guidelines for PT/PTA approval in NC, TN, MS, CT, ID, IO, KS, ME, MA, NH, NE, SC, SD. This course is accepted for CEUs in: AK, AL, AR, DE, GA, HA, IN, MI, MT, ND, OR, PA, RI, UT, VT, VA, WI, WY, WA.
Great Seminars and Books is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. This distance learning interactive and distance learning independent course is offered at 0.3 CEUs (3 contact hours), intermediate educational level, for category of OT Service Delivery. Course Approval # 8573. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
This course is not approved by ASHA or Board of Certification.
Any reference to or mention of state rules or regulations concerning continuing education requirements are true and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of print. If you have questions, please contact your board or regulating body.
If you do not see your state listed, please give our office a call at 877 794 7328.
3 Contact Hours - $99.00
Your Instructor
Unlimited access: Once you have purchased a course, you have unlimited access. You may stop and start and rewind as often as you wish. The course will remain in your cart and you are free to review the content at any time. However, continuing education credit is only available for the year in which you purchase a course.
Accessing this course: Click on “Enroll Now.” Once you have submitted the registration information, click “Order Now”. You will then see a “Thank You” message. You will be emailed a username, password and information on how to log in to our learning management system (LMS).
Course Format: Online video course
Target Audience: Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapist Assistant.