COVID-19 RESOURCES       DONATE       CONTACT

Faith Community Nurse Network

Bridging Faith and Health

Stepping On: Fall Prevention Program

The Faith Community Nurse Network’s Stepping On fall prevention program is helping seniors remain independent. Stepping On is a community-based, small-group program that empowers older adults to carry out health behaviors that reduce their risk of falls. Workshops meet for 2 hours, every week for 7 weeks. Local experts, Leaders, and other group members support one another to build balance, strength, and practical skills needed to avoid falling. FCNN Stepping On Leaders serve hundreds of older adults across the Twin Cities and Southeastern Minnesota.

Stepping On was developed in by Dr. Lindy Clemson and was tested in a randomized trial where it demonstrated a 31% reduction in falls. Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging developed an American version of Stepping On with support from the CDC.

Research has found the Stepping On program: 

  • Reduces falls by 31% 
  • Results in fewer emergency department visits due to a fall 

What is a Stepping On workshop? 

  • Small group workshop, 12 – 16 participants 
  • 2 hours per session, 1 session per week for 7 weeks 
  • Held in comfortable community settings 
  • Participants who have fallen or fear falling attend together 
  • Led by two trained leaders, who are health professionals 
  • Participants get peer support, learn about fall hazards around them, problem-solving strategies, discover how vision and medications affect falls risk, and practice strength and balance exercises 
  • Participants gain skills and confidence needed to reduce their risk of falling 

Resources for Leaders

Resources for planning and leading your Stepping On workshop. Many of the resources are Microsoft Word documents (.docx) that will download when you click the link. Highlighted areas in the below documents are for Leaders to personalize as needed.

Promoting Your Workshop

Find the marketing toolkit, poster & brochure templates, etc.

  • Stepping On Marketing Toolkit (.docx)
    A comprehensive resource for new and existing Leaders.
  • Stepping On Brochure (.docx)
    Customize and use for promoting your Stepping On workshop. Print back-to-back, flipped on the short edge.
  • Sample Press Release (.docx)
    Customize, adding in a quote from your workshop leader or past participant praising the program, if possible.
  • Tell a Friend Letter (.docx)
    Customize and distribute to friends and family so they can help you promote your workshop.
  • Stepping On Logo (.jpg)
    Use this logo on all promotional materials.
  • FCNN Logo (.jpg)
    Use this logo on all promotional materials.
  • Stepping On Poster (.docx)
    Download and customize this poster, or request that we customize it for you.
Planning Your Workshop

Find the registration form, attendance log, display ideas and guest expert materials.

Forms and General Materials

Guest Expert Materials

Creating your Display Board

  • Display Ideas (.docx) (PDF) – This is a list of optional items to purchase or borrow for your display table.
  • Ankle Weights Information (.docx) (PDF)
  • Phrase Bubbles for Display Board (.docx) (PDF)
  • Title for Display Board (.docx) (PDF)

Supplemental Resources

Participant Handouts
Printing Assistance

FCNN has assistance available to Leaders for printing participant handouts and exercise manuals. You may qualify for this assistance if your Faith Community / Location Sponsor is unable to absorb the cost of printing. To apply, fill out the form below and submit to contact@fcnntc.org.

Print Request Form
Resources for Low-Vision/Hard of Hearing Participants

Below you will find tips to help you work with participants who have low-vision or are hard of hearing and audio recordings of the Stepping On exercises. The workshop handouts are available in large print format for low-vision participants. To access the large print versions, click on the links titled “Large Print Format” next to each of the handouts above.

Stepping On Tool Kit: Addressing the Needs of Participants Who Have Low-Vision or Who Are Hard of Hearing

Stepping On Exercises: Audio Recordings

Guest Expert Volunteer Resources

Guest expert volunteers are a vital part of Stepping On. We are always looking for healthcare professionals who are willing to volunteer a few hours of their time to share their expertise with workshop participants. Each Stepping On workshop requires a physical therapist, a community safety expert (EMT, crossing guard, community safety officer), a pharmacist and a vision expert.

If you are interested in learning more about this professional volunteer opportunity, please contact Becky Afzali, Volunteer Coordinator, at becky@fcnntc.org or 651-204-0904 for more information.

Physical Therapists

Physical therapist volunteers play a significant role in Stepping On workshops. They demonstrate the program exercises for participants and advise safe modifications to make the exercises easier or more challenging. Participants really enjoy the time they have with the PT since they participate in 3 of the 7 workshop sessions. 

Workshop Materials

Community Safety Volunteers

Community safety experts volunteer during session 4 of a Stepping On workshop. They may be a community-focused police officer, crossing guard, or occupational therapist and are familiar with the road rules and pedestrian issues specific to the local area. Their purpose is to raise awareness among participants of various situations, risks, and safety alternatives when moving around in the community. 

Workshop Materials

Pharmacist Volunteers

The pharmacist guest expert plays an important role in each Stepping On workshop by demonstrating how medications can increase an individual’s risk of falling and leading an informed discussion with program participants about strategies they can use when working with their doctors and pharmacists to minimize their individual risk factors. The pharmacist guest expert participates in the first half of session 5 of each workshop.

Workshop Materials

Vision Expert Volunteers

Vision specialists visit during the 5th session of a workshop. They lead an interactive discussion on the influence of vision on balance and the risk of falling and refer participants to available community services. 

Workshop Materials

“What I love about volunteering for Stepping On, is that the participants are very engaged, ask meaningful questions, and really want to educate themselves. They are extremely interested on how to become more confident and safe with navigating in inclement weather, on uneven terrain, steps, etc. I hope to volunteer with this terrific program for many years to come!”

-Melissa Lage, Physical Therapist