Groundbreaking Program Helps Elderly Decrease Falls by 33%
Announcement posted by Tall Trees Care Communities 26 May 2014
Provider of alternative to private aged care in Brisbane and on Gold Coast reveals how “Stepping On” enhances the lives of the elderly.
Australia, 26 May 2014 - It started at the University of Sydney, where Professor Lindy Clemson and occupational therapist Megan Swann collaborated to create a program which would combine home safety with exercise and group interaction. The program, called Stepping On, gained more traction in the US than in Australia at first, when the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging began to offer it, first in Wisconsin, then in other states across the US.
After its success in the US, the NSW Ministry of Health finally decided to get behind the program and help provide access to it in NSW. Currently, funding for the program is guaranteed through 2015. Feedback from the program has been overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees calling it “life-changing” and saying that it gave them their independence back.
Stepping On: A Course Summary
Stepping on is designed primarily for elderly people who still live in their communities, but its co-creators feel that it has the potential to be a “game-changer” in an aged care setting. The only factor that is keeping it out of many aged care facilities is that it is too memory-intensive for dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
The course takes seven weeks to complete, due to Professor Clemson's observation that it takes about seven weeks for participants to change their habits and behaviours. Participants are first taught a series of exercises that help increase both their strength and their balance. Once participants learn the exercises, they can be done at home.
In subsequent weeks, participants are taught about how to make their homes safer and less likely to cause falls. They then learn how to function in the community with factors such as diminished vision or hearing. They are then taught relevant facts about nutrition, physiotherapy and medications to help them determine if any lifestyle factors are subjecting them to unnecessary risks.
The group format allows open participation and feedback which encourages participants to discuss their individual problems. This interactive format has proven to be very effective in promoting participation and learning. When participants are asking questions and interacting, they seem to have a larger emotional “stake” in the proceedings and tend to learn things more thoroughly.
According to Phil Usher, Co-founder of Tall Trees Care Communities, Stepping On is a welcome resource for residents of his community: “Our residents own their homes and determine their own levels of care. Because we value their independence so much, we are always very happy to learn of anything that can help us nurture that independence.”
Mr Usher continued, “When an elderly person is afraid of falling, it can really put a damper on his or her lifestyle. We are most concerned with decreased mobility caused by the resident not wanting to go anywhere or do anything for fear of falling. Stepping On is a great resource for helping to alleviate those fears.”
Mr Usher concluded: “At Tall Trees, our homes are designed to reduce the risks of falling considerably. All pathways are clear and the bathrooms have rails, gripping floors and every safety feature you can imagine. Stepping On makes it even better.”
Tall Trees Care Communities provide a refreshing alternative to traditional aged care facilities. Residents own their own homes and decide the level of care they receive. The independence and dignity of their residents is of paramount importance. Locations are across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. For more information, please call (07) 3442 9378 or visit their website: http://www.talltrees.net.au/.
After its success in the US, the NSW Ministry of Health finally decided to get behind the program and help provide access to it in NSW. Currently, funding for the program is guaranteed through 2015. Feedback from the program has been overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees calling it “life-changing” and saying that it gave them their independence back.
Stepping On: A Course Summary
Stepping on is designed primarily for elderly people who still live in their communities, but its co-creators feel that it has the potential to be a “game-changer” in an aged care setting. The only factor that is keeping it out of many aged care facilities is that it is too memory-intensive for dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
The course takes seven weeks to complete, due to Professor Clemson's observation that it takes about seven weeks for participants to change their habits and behaviours. Participants are first taught a series of exercises that help increase both their strength and their balance. Once participants learn the exercises, they can be done at home.
In subsequent weeks, participants are taught about how to make their homes safer and less likely to cause falls. They then learn how to function in the community with factors such as diminished vision or hearing. They are then taught relevant facts about nutrition, physiotherapy and medications to help them determine if any lifestyle factors are subjecting them to unnecessary risks.
The group format allows open participation and feedback which encourages participants to discuss their individual problems. This interactive format has proven to be very effective in promoting participation and learning. When participants are asking questions and interacting, they seem to have a larger emotional “stake” in the proceedings and tend to learn things more thoroughly.
According to Phil Usher, Co-founder of Tall Trees Care Communities, Stepping On is a welcome resource for residents of his community: “Our residents own their homes and determine their own levels of care. Because we value their independence so much, we are always very happy to learn of anything that can help us nurture that independence.”
Mr Usher continued, “When an elderly person is afraid of falling, it can really put a damper on his or her lifestyle. We are most concerned with decreased mobility caused by the resident not wanting to go anywhere or do anything for fear of falling. Stepping On is a great resource for helping to alleviate those fears.”
Mr Usher concluded: “At Tall Trees, our homes are designed to reduce the risks of falling considerably. All pathways are clear and the bathrooms have rails, gripping floors and every safety feature you can imagine. Stepping On makes it even better.”
Tall Trees Care Communities provide a refreshing alternative to traditional aged care facilities. Residents own their own homes and decide the level of care they receive. The independence and dignity of their residents is of paramount importance. Locations are across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. For more information, please call (07) 3442 9378 or visit their website: http://www.talltrees.net.au/.