What is OEP?

Otago Exercise Program – A program that has been specifically designed to prevent falls.

It consists of a warm up, a main workout of strength and balance exercises with the assistance of a chair throughout and concludes with stretching and a cool down period.

Each person receives a booklet with instructions for each exercise and ankle cuff weights can be obtained to provide resistance for strengthening exercises.

A session would typically last 1 hour and to maintain optimum benefit to the exerciser it is recommended that the exerciser repeats what they have been shown that week twice more in that week at regular intervals. The exerciser will be given a diary to record the workout for the days that the exercises are undertaken.

In addition to these three sessions the exerciser is encouraged to walk for 30 minutes twice a week if possible.