About OTAGO Exercise Programme Leader

Aims and Learning Outcomes

• To provide an understanding of the rationale behind the OEP design, the principles of exercise programming and the guidelines for leading exercise for frailer older people.
• To provide information about the health and falls prevention benefits of exercise and the impact of falls on older people.
• To provide the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to deliver the OEP safely and effectively to frailer older people with a high risk, or history of falls.

Content

The Course consists of the original 24 OTAGO Exercise Programme exercises, designed to prevent falls and improve balance, strength and confidence, that made up the original OTAGO Exercise Programme home exercise study design. There are some additional warm up and cool down exercises to ensure current international guidelines are followed. The specific order and progressions for each exercise is predetermined for OEP Leaders by LLT.

Underpinning knowledge covers the rate of ageing and falls in the ageing population and the effects of physical activity on health, physical performance, movement control, confidence and quality of life in old age; in addition the course also covers the international recommendations for adaptation of exercise for older adults and for specific medical conditions associated with ageing. Candidates will learn the key exercise leading competencies and will practice leading the OTAGO exercises under the guidance of highly skilled tutor; exercise technique, safety and communication skills are emphasised.

Duration

The course runs over 4 full days (9 am – 5 pm). 3 course days followed by 1 day assessment. This course runs over a minimum of 4 weeks to allow task oriented practice before the assessment.

We also run 2 days accelerated courses for Physiotherapists, Qualified L4 (BACR, PSI, EfS) Exercise Instructors and Qualified L3 instructors with at least one years experience of teaching older adults. One day covers the practical delivery of the exercises (and support) and one day is the Assessment.

Resources

Each candidate receives a copy of the original OTAGO Exercise Programme Manual from New Zealand and a “How to Lead” Manual developed by Later Life Training.

Certification

Successful candidates will receive a Later Life Training Qualification Certificate (OTAGO Exercise Programme Leaders Award). The Certificate states that the candidate gets 16 REPS CPD points.

Level of Certification
The qualification has been aligned with NVQ Level 2 in Care and Level 2 in Exercise and Fitness. The course will provide evidence which can be used towards specific units of NVQs but will not in itself cover the full range of an NVQ unit. Attendance Only certificates will be given as appropriate.

Click Here for a downloadable flyer

Introduction

The Otago Exercise Programme Leaders Award was developed in collaboration with Professor John Campbell and Dr Clare Robertson of Otago University, New Zealand and with Julie Whitney of Kings College Hospital Trust, London, UK and launched by LLT in 2007. Susie Dinan, Dawn Skelton and Sheena Gawler are the LLT developers of this course. An article, in FitPro, about the OEP course can be seen here.

Using the Qualification

It is anticipated that successful candidates will deliver sessions either working within the therapies in a hospital based programme or leading falls and injury prevention sessions in community settings as part of a local health improvement plan or onward referral from the Falls or Care of the Elderly rehabilitation setting.

This training has been endorsed by REPS and Skills Active and receives 16 CPD points.

LLT is currently working with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) to ensure CSP endorsement for all successful candidates of this course.

In New Zealand, a targeted home exercise program (OTAGO), to women aged over 80, a population at high risk of falls, was taught to participants in their own homes by a physiotherapist and compared to social visits as a control (for review see Campbell & Robertson 2006). Exercises were individually prescribed from a set number of warm up, muscle strength and balance training exercises to perform 3 times a week for a year. They were also encouraged to walk outdoors at their desired pace building up to 30 minutes 2-3 times a week. The physiotherapist visited each intervention participant four times over the first two months following on with regular telephone contact. The exercise group had a significantly lower rate of falls. This exercise approach, now called the Otago Exercise Programme has been further investigated in four RCTs (Campbell & Robertson 2006).

A full list of research papers and articles forming the evidence base behind OEP can be found here

On days 1, 2 and 3 of the course the candidates will be instructed on how to use the manual to complete worksheets. These worksheets will be handed in on the course and will form part of the final assessment marks. On day 4 there will be assessment of the competence of the practical leading of 5 of the exercises and of the written presentation of the leading plan for all of the exercises (instructions/technique points).

For those attending the accelerated course, they are expected to complete the worksheets prior to attending the course and hand them in on day 1 of the course. The practical assessment occurs on day 2 of the course.

The full 4 day course cost is £382 plus VAT (£410 plus VAT from 1st April 2012) per applicant and includes the Course Manuals, Assessments and Certification.
The 2 day accelerated is £295 plus VAT (£310 plus VAT from 1st April 2012) and includes the Course Manuals, Assessments and Certification.
LLT offer discounts on courses, see if you qualify.

Refer/Defer Costs
Sign up for the practical assessments occurs on Day 2 and charges will apply if you do not attend on your signed up assessment day (irrespective of reason). Should you refer, there are resit costs:
Practical assessment resit – £50
Session plan resit – £25
Worksheets resit – £25

You can apply online, but first we ask that you ensure you have read the Eligibility Guidelines below and the statement about Medical Conditions and Learning Support Requirements first. Alternatively, download and print an
Application Form and send into the LLT Office.
View the OEP Terms and Conditions for the full course and the Accelerated 2 day OEP Terms and Conditions.If there are no courses in your area we will initiate a course as soon as there is enough interest in an area.

Hosting a course

If you want to host a course in your area, please contact the LLT Office. We do offer discounts to hosts depending on the number of applicants enrolled. Terms and Conditions for OEP Hosts can be viewed here and for Hosts of the Accelerated two day OEP course, here.

Candidate Eligibility and Guidelines

This 4 day course is appropriate for:

• Physiotherapists and in particular physiotherapy assistants and technical assistants
• Occupational therapists and in particular rehabilitation assistants
• Qualified Chair Based Exercise leaders
• Qualified Exercise Instructors (Level 2 or above)
• Postural Stability Instructors interested in updating their CPD or in a supervisory role with OEP Leaders

The following professions are eligible if they hold the Chair Based Exercise Leaders qualification, or equivilant Level 2 exercise qualification:

• Nurses
• Social care workers
• Care Staff
• Scheme Managers

 

Please be aware that if you wish to host an accelerated course (2 days) your candidates must all be physiotherapists, L4 exercise instructors, or L3 instructors with at least one years experience teaching older adults.

Medical Conditions and Learning Support Requirements

We encourage everyone to be responsible for their own learning. In light of this, we ask that you please inform us, at point of application, about any learning support requirements and/or medical conditions support that will help you to access our course content and learn effectively. All information will be treated confidentially and we will make reasonable adjustments to meet your needs.

Many successful OEP leaders go on to do other exercise qualifications at L3 and then L4. LLT are currently developing CPD courses for the OEP leader.