StandingTall Guide for support person or family member
StandingTall is a digital exercise program for improving balance and mobility in older adults. It is recommended users do at least 2 hours of balance exercise training per week to improve balance and reduce the risk of falling.
Before starting:
Ensure the user has a safe, and practical space to exercise; and a chair or something sturdy to hold on to for support. Try and set the iPad up as close as possible to eye-level. StandingTall includes some exercises done on an unstable surface, called ‘Foam’. The foam can be substituted for a folded towel or thin cushion.
Login instructions
Open StandingTall app on the iPad. If you aren’t prompted to log in, skip to ‘1. Balance Assessment’.
Click on ‘I am an existing user’
Enter the user ID and password (these details will have been provided to the user by their StandingTall trainer).
Press ‘Login’.
1. Balance Assessment
From the Main Menu- if the button prompts you to ‘Do a Balance Assessment’, tap this and follow the on-screen instructions. Exercise sessions are accessible once this is complete. If the button reads ‘Exercise’, it is not yet time to complete the Balance Assessment. Read on from ‘3. Exercise’.
The first Balance Assessment determines the starting level for the user, and occurs monthly to ensure the exercises remain challenging, yet safe. There are 5-10 positions that the user will need to try and hold for up to 30 seconds. Any floor positions that are held for <15 seconds will not be repeated on the foam/towel. If you lose your footing, or need support from a chair, tap 'Tap to stop balancing’, or 'Change Duration’.
2. Trial session
The Trial session is a demonstration of the types of exercises a user will do with StandingTall. If this has already been completed, they do not need to complete this again. Continue reading from ‘3. Exercise’.
There are 7 beginner-friendly exercises that will take the user through the same flow of categories as a regular balance session:
i. Floor > ii. Foam > iii. Box - SKIP > iv. Dartboard > v. Grid > vi. & vii. Cognitive exercises - SKIP.
NOTE: Box and Cognitive exercises are disabled and will not appear in the Exercise program. You can press the ‘Skip’ button to bypass these in the Trial Session.
3. Exercise
To start a session, select ‘Exercise’ on the main menu. Leave the session type on 'Balance' to improve falls risk. For variety, the user can explore the Cardio & Strength sessions. Then, choose the exercise duration the user would like to exercise. The exercise duration refers to exercising time, not session duration. Session duration is double the time selected. All items on the Safety Checklist must be confirmed before starting exercise.
What’s on the Exercise screen
Exercise Title: Walking Sideways – Long Steps
How many Exercises in the session (1/11), which set (1/3) the user is up to (all exercises are performed 3 times in a row) and the duration (26 seconds) of each exercise.
The Foot Position for each exercise is shown in a grid in the top right corner.
How to perform this exercise includes a demonstration video and a quick refresh guide for each exercise.
Tips & Hints explain why you are doing the exercise and how to make it easier or more challenging. The session is paused when viewing the tips and hints, and demonstration videos.
After 3/3 sets, rate the exercise – this determines if the exercise progresses (4 or 5), maintains level (2 or 3) or regresses for the next session (1).
Exercises can be paused during an exercise, by watching instructional videos, or reading Tips & Hints. A session will run for 120 minutes (2 hours) before it expires.
Exit a session early by clicking Return to Home & Save & Quit. This will save the time spent exercising.
Your weekly exercise target starts at 40 mins and will gradually increase to 120 mins. Other features on the Main Menu are optional, and you are welcome to use the ‘Calendar’ & ‘Goals & Journal’ features, see how you’re progressing with your balance & exercises in ‘Progress’, and read FAQ in ‘Help’.