Newman Regional Health’s fall prevention program celebrates 5 years of helping seniors keep their balance. 

Anna Blanton
Stepping On Coordinator
EMAIL
(620) 343-6800 x 21043  

In the press

Emporia Gazette (August 24, 2024)

Stepping On is a research-driven program that proves to reduce falls in older people. These free of charge classes are hosted by Newman Regional Health to continue equipping the community with tools for a healthy lifestyle. Through mutual support, participants build confidence in their ability to manage their health behaviors, reduce their risk of falls, and maintain fulfilling active lives. One of the major causes of trauma visits to the Emergency Department is related to people suffering from closed head injuries and broken hips caused by simple falls. These injuries can profoundly impact the patient’s future well-being.  

The next Stepping On program starts this September 5 and runs through October 10. Consisting of 6 weekly sessions, the program provides participants strategies for avoiding falls including balance and strength exercises, home safety check suggestions, medication review, identifying home hazards, information on vision and footwear, and advice on sleeping better.  

“We were able to conduct our classes at the Emporia Senior Center for our last class,” says Anna Blanton, PCT Stepping On Program Director, “having the extra room for the participants was awesome, and the center staff were great to work with.”  

Blanton adds, “As we go through the class, we get to know the participants. These are neighbors who participate in everyday activities and events in our community. Several participants come back and take the class a second time because our class leaders make the sessions fun and provide useful information.”  

Geneta Thill, class participant, shared about her experiences, “A lot of my friends have attended the Stepping On class. I think the most important thing I learned was the proper way to stand up from a fall and what to look for to make sure I was not injured. I loved learning about the exercises that help me be strong enough to keep from falling. I liked the atmosphere and the people in class. I thought the instructors were great and I really learned a lot from the guest speakers who covered different topics. I hope to go back again, I learned so much.”  

The Newman Regional Health Stepping On Program follows the Wisconsin’s Institute for Health Aging’s session plan and is held twice per year. During this last class, representatives of KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) conducted a successful fidelity check that assures that the instructors are following the correct curriculum. The check also assures that the participants receive high quality instruction conducted in a positive atmosphere.  

Blanton also points out that the Stepping On program is one of only a few in Kansas that are still participating since the Covid-19 pandemic, “during that time a lot of hospital participation ended, and they never returned to the program. Newman Regional Health is one of the few programs in the state that still participates. One of our past class members said her daughter looked it up online to see more about the class and found that there were hardly any in Kansas available. That makes Abby and I proud to be a part of this type of community outreach.”  

Abby Hogan sums up the program, “Our goal is for our participants to remain independent at home for as long as possible and keep them involved in our community.”  

The Spring 2024 class was the largest class held in Emporia with 14 program graduates. 

“We are lucky to have Anna Blanton and Abby Hogan who are dedicated leaders of this program. This type of outreach and community benefit is an incredible example of how valuable preventive care is to our community,” emphasizes Heather Aylward, Chief Nursing Officer at Newman Regional Health, “The benefits of the program are clear when you consider that one fall that breaks a hip and requires replacement could lead to a hospital stay consisting of invasive surgery, inpatient rehabilitation, several weeks in the hospital, and months of recovery at home.”  

Registration for the class can be done by visiting https://www.newmanrh.org/steppingon/ or by calling (620) 343-6800 x21043