Karen Lloyd Stepping On Coordinator / Health

Promotion Officer Western NSW & Far West LHD

Health Promotion Unit

What is Stepping On? • Community based falls

prevention program for older people who have had a fall or fear falling.

• Reduce participants’ risk of falling by 31% 1

• Knowledge, strength and confidence to prevent falls, stay active and remain independent

1.Clemson L, Cummings G, Hendig H, Swann M, Heard R and Taylor K ‘The Effectiveness of a Community-Based Program for Reducing the Incidence of Falls in the Elderly: A Randomized Trial’ Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (2004) 52:1487-1494

What’s involved?...

“Besides being health improving, nice social event...” Participant from Wentworth

Stepping On data...

What parts of the program did you find most helpful? Balancing Participant comments from Broken Hill

Between Jan 2014 – Dec 2015...

• 8,307 individuals completed

the program

• Preliminary analysis showed

improved:

o mobility

o leg strength

o balance

1.9 seconds (95% CI: 1.76-2.03 seconds; P < 0.01)

“I wasn’t exactly sure but once I got started I thought it was a really excellent program...” Participant from Wentworth

Significant improvements in the following screening tests for falls

NSW Government – Health 2016. ‘NSW Office of Preventive Health – The Fourth Year (2015-16) in Review’

Far West LHD Info...

25 programs

212 participants

“I would like to thank the organisers for a truly wonderful 7 weeks..” Participant from Gol Gol

What is Make Healthy Normal?

Addresses the issue of overweight

having become ‘Normal’

Aim:

• awareness

• motivate change

• reassess lifestyle

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Key Messages...

So – What links these two programs?

What is the Get Healthy Information & Coaching Service?

How Stepping On & GHICS link..

Where to from here..

Thank you...

A big thanks to the Stepping On Facilitators and participants in Far West LHD