As a GP, specialist or health professional, you play a vital role in helping people age well and manage their health. Exercise referral is an important tool in the management of many patients. Often the difficulty lies in selecting the most appropriate destination for that exercise referral. 

The ActiveStrongerBetter (ASB) Integrated Model provides health professionals with safe, easy and integrated links and tools for physical activity referrals including pre-exercise screening, referral (including Health Pathways and GP eReferrals), follow-up and ongoing feedback.

What is ActiveStrongerBetter (ASB)?

ActiveStrongerBetter (ASB) is a community-based exercise program designed to provide safe and appropriate classes for older adults. The program offers affordable weekly classes delivered by ASB-accredited fitness professionals in local senior-friendly venues including community halls and retirement villages.

All ASB classes are low-moderate intensity with graded options. Class levels range from:

Seated / Chair-Support 

Level 1: Starters to Moderate 

Level 1-2: Moderate – with options for backing off or challenging you more

Level 2: Moderate to Challenging

Level 3: Challenging with more progressive options

ASB Outcomes

The ASB program improves both the physical health of older adults, and mental health including cognitive well-being and social connectedness through the development of communities centred around the weekly exercise classes.

Further evidence of the impact of the ASB program on positive patient outcomes is highlighted in NSW Government’s Fall Prevention White Paper 2023 – ASB Case Study featured on page 41:

Why refer?

ActiveStrongerBetter is designed to deliver a fully integrated, sustainable model linking the fitness industry to health teams. Health professionals can be confident to prescribe and refer their patients to the program.

Benefits to health professionals include:

• Sustainable supervised physical activity and socially supported local program for your patients.
• Easy referral process using standardised Pre Exercise Assessment and Referral Form incorporating optional feedback from ASB fitness leaders and enabling incorporation into Enhanced Primary Care Planning.
• Inclusion of the program on Health Pathways and GP e-referral systems .
• ASB leaders have an ongoing education scheme, linked to their accreditation, professional indemnity and public liability coverage and registration requirements that include First Aid / CPR and Working with Children / Police checks.
• The ASB Integrated Model provides the skills training and administrative tools to cater to older Australians requiring exercise intervention to sustain health, well-being and quality of life. 

Who to refer to ASB?

ActiveStrongerBetter exercise programs are open to everyone and suitable for people with stable chronic conditions and lifestyle risk factors including:

For more details on determining if patients are eligible for referral, visit the ActiveStrongerBetter Eligibility Guidelines developed to assist Medical Health Teams.

How to refer patients to ASB?

The process to refer your patients is easy:

1. Complete and sign the Pre-Exercise Assessment and Referral Form (PEARF) including the Medical Clearance Information (located on at the bottom of the form). NB: There is an option to incorporate feedback from the ASB leader on your patient.
2. Refer patient to the ASB Class Locations page to locate a suitable level class near them includes printable class timetables. We recommend the patient phones the Fitness Leader before attending the class to confirm class details. NB: Fitness leader phone numbers can be found on the Class Locations page.

Residential Aged Care Facilities

If you are interested in getting an ActiveStrongerBetter program set up at your Residential Aged Care Facility, get in touch with us here.

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