Murrumbidgee Local Health District is continuing its partnership with the Mercy Care Centre to deliver the Stepping On falls prevention program in Young from Thursday 24 October. The group runs for two hours each week for seven weeks followed by a refresher session two months later. This free healthy ageing program is designed for people who are living at home and who have fallen or have a fear of falling. Young’s Stepping On program is facilitated by Allied Health Assistant Deena McGregor and Physiotherapist Clare Mullins. “The program helps older people keep their independence and gives them confidence in their mobility, so they are able to go about their daily activities safely and without the fear of falling,” Deena said. “During the program we will show you some simple exercises to improve strength and balance. We’ll also have some education sessions from other local health professionals on a range of topics such as vision, home hazards and medicines.” Currently around one in three people aged over 65 fall each year, with many falls causing injuries and sometimes even requiring a stay in hospital. Stepping On has been rolled out to more than 30 communities across the Murrumbidgee Local Health District. The weekly sessions will be held at Mercy Care Centre Young, 69 Demondrille St, on Thursdays at 1pm. For further information and to register please call the Mercy Care Centre on 6382 8444.
