This free New South Wales Ministry of Health initiative is designed for people who are living at home and who have fallen or have a fear of falling.  

“The program helps older people keep their independence,” Young Stepping On facilitator Jonathan Burns said. “It gives them confidence in their mobility so they are able to go about their daily activities safely and without the fear of falling.”

The program includes simple group exercise to improve strength and balance as well as education on a range of topics such as vision, home hazards and medicines.

The Stepping On program sessions are also an opportunity for participants to socialise with others joining in from the wider community.

Stepping On has been rolled out in more than 25 communities across the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, assisting people in the communities to remain active and healthy.

The free Stepping On program runs for two hours each week over seven weeks with a refresher session two months later. 

The Mercy Care Centre Young Operations Manager and Director of Nursing Mary-Lou Cusack has said she is pleased the program is returning to the area. 

“It is a great opportunity for older members of the community to come together socially while also engaging with local health providers,” Ms Cusack said.

According to data from Murrumbidgee Local Health District falls are a significant cost to the community and the health system with one in three people aged over 65 falling each year.

Sessions begin at the Mercy Care Centre in Young from Thursday October 26, 2017 at 1pm. For further information or to book a spot please call the Mercy Care Centre on 02 63828444.