Stepping On to Make Healthy Normal

Karen Lloyd

Stepping On Coordinator / Health Promotion Officer

WNSW 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?

“The program was excellent, fun, helpful, useful, stimulating, relevant interesting and informative...” Participant from Dubbo

• Weekly 2 hour group

sessions

• Evidence based strength

and balance exercises

• Information on a range of

topics – ‘guest speakers’

• Pre & Post testings

• ‘Homework’

• Social get-together

• 2 month Booster session

Stepping On data...

Between Jan 2014 – Dec 2015...

• 8,307 individuals completed the

program

• Preliminary analysis showed

improved:

o mobility

o leg strength

o balance

Since 2009...

“I am please I started the exercises and intend to continue. My fitness has improved, in fact I like doing them. I thought at 80 I would not be able to do much..” Participant from Blayney

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

3.52 seconds

(95% CI: 3.13-3.91 seconds; (P < 0.01)

Significant improvements in the following

screening tests for falls

Near Tandem Stand

Timed Up and Go

“My balance is getting better. Getting up from a chair is really easy now...” Participant from Orange

2.51 seconds (95% CI: 2.29-2.73 seconds; (P < 0.01)

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

WNSW LHD Info...

142 programs

1295 participants

“The group training was fun and interactive, lots of jokes along the way which kept things interesting and demonstrated how to make our groups fun and enjoyable as well as informative...” Comment from Stepping On Training Orange 2016

What is Make Healthy Normal?

Addresses the issue of overweight

having become ‘Normal’

Aim:

• ↑ awareness

• motivate change

• reassess lifestyle

Create a new, healthy normal!

Key Messages...

www.makehealthynormal.nsw.gov.au

So-What links these two programs ?

What is the Get Healthy Information & Coaching Service?

Data Feb 2009 – Dec

2015

• Approx. 33,000 people

have engaged in the

GHICS

• 96% enrolled in the

coaching

Why Stepping On & GHICS link.. Stepping On

• Follow-up & support

• Continuing exercises

• Maintaining

motivation

• Attendance at booster

session

GHICS

• Developing personal

health goals

• Maintaining

motivation

• Identifying problem

areas

• Creating solutions

Key Target numbers

from LHDs

Referrals from Stepping

On Facilitators

Where to from here?

• 2016 initiative

• Stepping On Facilitators are

promoting and referring interested

participants

• Referred participants currently doing

the GHICS program

• Collection of Health Professional

referral data

Thank you’s...

A big thanks to the Stepping On Facilitators and participants in Western NSW LHD