This page is for clinicians who are curious about how the TIME™ program can support their patients.
Clinician FAQs
The TIME™ program is for people with mobility challenges. TIME™ participants may use a cane or walker to get around and often find it difficult to walk longer distances in the community. They do not require a specific diagnosis to join but rather must meet
eligibility criteria that is based on functional mobility status.
Participants can self-refer. But when a care provider "prescribes" the TIME™ program an individual is far more likely to follow-through with joining.
You can do this by using our
locations menu to find your patient's nearest TIME™ location and contact information for registration. Then share this information with them as part of care planning.
You can also download a PDF of
our program listing to distribute within your programs and clinics.
Encourage your patients to join our
virtual programTIME™ at Home as this can be done from anywhere in Canada. You can also explore our
exercise & wellness video collection for a list of online videos that should be appropriate for TIME™ participants and those with similar mobility.
Please let your patients know there is a subsidy available for those who need financial assistance. It covers the registration fee and can also help with transportation costs to and from the program. It is called Jo's TIME™ Fund and their local TIME™ program applies to the fund on their behalf so that they do not have to do any paperwork.
While the TIME™ program does target balance and mobility, the focus is on enjoyment and participation in a fitness program. Increasing a person's physical activity level and overall balance will of course reduce fall risk, but we do not centre our program on fall reduction. Therefore, there is no assessment/testing, and no education component. Fitness instructors run our classes rather than clinicians, with clinician support available to the fitness instructors as needed. Perhaps most importantly, TIME™ participants can re-enroll for multiple sessions so that the TIME™ program can become an ongoing wellness activity, like any other recreational program.
For more detailed answers to these and other frequently asked questions, view our
TIME™ Program Additional Information
document.
For a more detailed comparison of TIME™ vs Falls Prevention Programs, check out this video.
Eligibility Screening Questions
When a participant registers for TIME™, the program coordinator will use the below criteria to complete a telephone screening call to ensure that the potential participant is a good fit.
Lower functional limit
Participants must be able to:
- Walk at least 10 metres (30 feet) with or without a cane or walker
- Must walk without the physical help of another person, but the quality of the gait is not of concern
- Follow exercise instructions and/or demonstrations in a small group
- There are 4 participants to every staff for in-person programs
- The virtual program requires the ability to follow along with audio and video. A care partner can be present at home to assist with tech as needed
- Safely stand and move when holding on to a hand support for balance
- Movement such as reaching to one side or marching on the spot
- This includes being able to rise from a chair to stand up
Upper functional limit
TIME™ is not intended for people who:
- Have NO issues with balance and mobility, and could instead join a typical fitness program (gentle and/or seniors fitness is available at most rec centres)
- Regularly walk longer distances in the community and can manage obstacles such as curbs, ramps and crowds with ease
Helpful Resources: Collection of Exercise and Wellness Videos
To help participants stay active in between TIME™ classes, we've put together this
list of exercise and wellness videos that are appropriate for people with mobility challenges. The selected videos work best for people who find it difficult to walk in the community and who use a cane or walker to get around. These videos can be found online and are available free of charge.
View Our Video Gallery
