Fitness coordinators’ and fitness instructors’ perspectives on implementing a task-oriented community exercise program within a healthcare-recreation partnership for people with balance and mobility limitations: a qualitative study

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Background: Healthcare organizations are partnering with recreation organizations to support the delivery of community-based exercise programs for people with balance and mobility limitations. The value and impact of support strategies provided by healthcare organizations, however, have not been examined.Objective: Study objectives were to explore fitness coordinators’ and fitness instructors’ experiences with implementing a task-oriented community-based exercise program for people with balance and mobility limitations within the context of a healthcare-recreation partnership.Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Fitness coordinators and instructors involved with delivering a licensed, group, task-oriented community-based exercise program for people with balance and mobility limitations supported by a healthcare-recreation partnership were interviewed by telephone. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was performed.Results: Eight fitness coordinators and 8 fitness instructors from 14 recreation centres were interviewed. Findings showed that healthcare-recreation partnerships help to optimize exercise program quality and safety through multiple strategies. Fitness coordinators and instructors still face challenges with program implementation at start-up and over time. Recommendations to address these challenges included increased training content related to adjusting exercises to accommodate participant abilities, 1–2 visits from a healthcare professional each program after initial program implementation, suggestions to increase exercise variety, and ongoing education.Conclusions: Findings clarify the role of healthcare organizations, ongoing challenges, and directions for improvement in this program delivery model.Implications for rehabilitationCommunity recreation centres can provide task-oriented exercise programs to help people with balance and mobility limitations safely engage in regular exerciseHealthcare organizations should provide specific supports to help increase the safety and quality of task-oriented exercise programs in recreation centresSupports include providing clear exercise guidelines, and a healthcare professional who trains fitness instructors, visits the program, answers questions between visits, promotes collaboration and information exchange between recreation centres, and provides ongoing education