About this resource
Home programs work when they fit real life. This checklist prompts practitioners to link activities to goals, keep the number manageable, fit practice into existing routines, give clear instructions with pictures or video, demonstrate and observe, track practice and review together.
Purpose
To increase the chance that home programs are used and helpful.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Allied health and multidisciplinary teams. Also relevant for speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists.
Client or participant group: Allied health practitioners designing home programs.
Practice setting: Any allied health service using home practice.
Suggested uses
- Designing home programs
- Supervision
- Student training
- Quality improvement
Instructions for practitioners
- Ask about the family's routines and capacity first.
- Keep programs short.
- Demonstrate and watch the person try.
- Review and adjust at each session.
Accessibility considerations
Use pictures, video and the family's language.
Scope and limitations
A practice checklist.
Research basis
Practising skills between sessions is linked to better outcomes in cognitive and behavioural therapies. Clear, plain-language information and checking understanding (teach-back) improve understanding, safety and quality of care.
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2014). Health literacy: Taking action to improve safety and quality. ACSQHC. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/health-literacy-taking-action-improve-safety-and-quality
- Australian Government. Style Manual: Plain language and word choice. https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/writing-and-designing-content/clear-language-and-writing-style/plain-language-and-word-choice
- Kazantzis, N., Whittington, C., & Dattilio, F. (2010). Meta-analysis of homework effects in cognitive and behavioral therapy: A replication and extension. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 17(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.2010.01204.x
- Talevski, J., Wong Shee, A., Rasmussen, B., Kemp, G., & Beauchamp, A. (2020). Teach-back: A systematic review of implementation and impacts. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0231350. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231350
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
