Fall prevention is what the Otago Program is all about.
This program is what Peninsula Home Care is implementing in homes across the peninsula. Maryland Branch Manager for Peninsula Home Care, Jennifer Kline, tells us all about the program and shows us an example of an exercise participants in the program would do.
Jennifer said this program reduces falls between 35%-40%.
“It’s been seen to help balance, muscle strength, flexibility. Some of those are the risk factors for falls. So what we’ve done is in this program, you strengthen those, and therefore, you won’t fall,” Jennifer says.
There are 17 different exercises avaible so a program is tailored based on their needs. After the program, patients should continue the exercises on their own. Peninsula Home Care checks in for a year after the program.
Jennifer says it is a progressive program so they can add weights to the exercises as time goes on.
