TIME™ (Together in Movement and Exercise): how healthcare and community collaboration can create exercise opportunities beyond healthcare walls

Background

Outside of the healthcare system, opportunities for seniors with balance and mobility issues to participate in exercise programs are limited.  Their lives often become sedentary.  This session presents community-based group exercise program TIME™ as an example of how physiotherapists can pioneer innovative programs that help promote healthy ageing and social interaction through exercise, for individuals living with chronic mobility impairments.

Relevance to Physiotherapy Practice

We know that regular physical activity is essential to ageing in good health.  Outside of the healthcare system, opportunities for people with balance and mobility issues to participate in exercise programs are limited.  A growing and ageing population is adding pressure to our healthcare system so we must look outside of healthcare walls to find innovative solutions to address this issue.  The TIME™ program serves as an example of how physiotherapists can pioneer innovative programs that help promote healthy ageing through physical activity for seniors that are vulnerable to becoming sedentary.

Learning Objectives

1. Summarize the features that make TIME™ feasible, beneficial, and safe for a community setting

2. Identify the importance of developing partnerships with community hubs to support and advocate for exercise programs for individuals with mobility impairments

3. Advocate for launching community-based exercise programs in their respective neighbourhoods

SPEAKER'S BIOGRAPHY

Margot is a physiotherapist at UHN Toronto Rehab, supporting their community-based exercise program, TIME, as the program’s Practice Lead.  Over the past 10 years, Margot has worked with individuals with neurological conditions in a multitude of settings from the community, to inpatient and outpatient rehab, and private practice.  She holds a status appointment with the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto, and her current clinical research looks at physical activity behaviours and fitness levels of young adults who have grown up living with brain injuries. Her passion is in increasing community capacity for inclusive physical activity, in order to help individuals living with chronic mobility impairments live healthy & active lives. The TIME program is a great example of an innovative and replicable solution that accomplishes exactly that.