Stepping On is endorsed by the CDC because its one-of-a-kind multifactorial approach to falls prevention. This seven session, small group community-based workshop is grounded in behavior change, preventative framework, and principles of adult education, focusing on four critical domains: balance and strength exercises; medication review; vision review; and home modifications.
The Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging (WIHA) is the North American Stepping On license holder and disseminates the program, providing support to license holders and facilitators throughout North America. The program is available for in-person or virtual delivery.
- Target audience: Older adults who are without a diagnosed cognitive impairment, live independently, do not use a walker indoors (outdoor walker use OK, cane indoors or outdoors OK) and do not need a wheelchair.
- Health outcomes: Stepping On has been researched and proven to decrease falls by 31%. Fewer falls mean greater independence, mobility, and confidence as we age. This also includes fewer injuries, fewer visits to the emergency room, fewer hospitalizations, and fewer deaths due to a fall. Read the original research article.
- Delivered by: Two certified facilitators who attend a three-day facilitator training. Eligible facilitators are current or retired healthcare professionals (e.g. RN, NP, PA, OT, PT, PTA), social workers, aging network professionals, health educators, or fitness experts with knowledge of falls prevention; have experience working with older adults and facilitating adult groups; and have the ability to demonstrate, modify, and advance exercises. Another model includes 1 trained facilitator who has completed the three-day in person training and one peer facilitator. Explore the program's weekly workshop topics.
- Program type: Group
“The program is more than exercises. Pharmacists to know what drugs are correlated with falls, learning about safety with the paramedics… Learning how to be aware of your surroundings [in] your house, other people’s houses, [and the] outside environment, especially sidewalks… The class has so many facets, you learn so many different things on how to be safe.” - Jane Bannerman, Dane County
- Format: In-person in community, Remote
- Length: 7 weeks, one 2-hour session per week. Including a follow-up phone call or home visit and 3-month booster session.
- Training: Remote, in-person
- Professional required: Yes- Guest experts are required throughout the seven sessions including an exercise expert, medication expert, vision expert and community safety expert.
[My favorite part of facilitating Stepping On is] when people start realizing that the exercises can make a difference! It’s fulfilling and it makes such a difference to people’s lives. One thing I always tell the class is “we don’t wake up in the morning and say, ‘today I’m going to fall’. We don’t plan it. So, we have to think about ways to prevent it. Kathy (age 62) Stepping On Peer Facilitator, Outagamie County, WI
- Accessibility adaptations available: Tools are available, including a Supplemental Facilitator Toolkit to address the needs of participants with low vision or who are hard of hearing. You can use these tools to adapt your Stepping On workshop to accommodate people with sensory impairments. The audio recordings give a detailed explanation of each Stepping On exercise for participants with vision impairments. These can be shared with any Stepping On participant for their home practice and use, are available for print out.
- Cultural adaptations available: A Tribal Adaptation Booklet is available with approved adaptations to offer Stepping On in tribal communities.
- Available in languages other than English: Spanish (Pisando Fuerte), has been delivered in Hmong/Lao.
- Data collection: Sites are required to submit Stepping On data following each workshop
- Topic(s):
- Falls Prevention
- Physical Activity
- Medication Management
