From September- November, the Improve Your Health campaign raised awareness among older Western Australians of simple ways to reduce the risk of falls, such as getting medicines reviewed each year, keeping an active mind to react to hazards in the environment, and eating a balanced diet with key nutrients to keep our bones strong. Our Stay On Your Feet® team were busy across regional and metro WA, delivering a wide range of Improve Your Health events, trainings and activities.
Out in the community
Seniors Week was a highlight with the team out supporting community events such as the annual Seniors Recreation Council WA Have A Go Day at Burswood Park and healthy ageing events with the City of Wanneroo, Shire of Gingin and City of Mandurah. Foodbank was a huge success with the Town of Mosman Park community and a good old Improve Your Health Bingo Exercise session at the City of Vincent.
Our campaign activities extended regionally where we held a workshop with Shire of Lake Grace, the Lake Grace Community Pharmacy and Foodbank WA, as well as the Great Southern Aboriginal Health Services to have a yarn about healthy eating from a range of food groups and how key nutrients can help prevent falls.
Of course, as always our team of Stay On Your Feet® Peer Educators were busy delivering falls prevention presentations to community groups and older adults across Perth.
What did our Improve Your Health grant recipients get up to?
WA Country Health Service South West
WA Country Health Service was busy in the Shire of Augusta Margaret River region. The Margaret River Positive Healthy Ageing program included a range of health professionals, such as a Pharmacist, Geriatrician, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, and Dietician, who collaborated to deliver a series of educational workshops over six weeks. The program successfully raised awareness of simple changes people can make to reduce their risk of falls and increased participants’ confidence and skills to make these changes.
Positive feedback from participants included that the presentations reinforced the various aspects of healthy ageing, feeling of involvement, and community support, as well as being more aware of how to incorporate key nutrients into their daily intake. When participants were asked what they liked most about the program, one participant summed it up nicely—“All of it. An informative and worthwhile program, to be forewarned is forearmed!”
Karratha Central Healthcare
The team at Karratha Central Healthcare delivered a project at Yaandina Community Services that promoted healthy eating and the link between nutrition, strong feet, and preventing falls. A local dietician developed and led the program for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Roebourne community. The program’s positive impact was highlighted, with attendees increasing their participation and engagement levels over the course of the four workshops. Overall feedback included the enjoyment of participating in the program, learning how to cook healthy and cheap meals with traditional foods and practices, and sharing the meals while having a yarn.
Additionally, the program built the capacity among the community care staff at Yaandina Community Services who regularly provide meals to clients. Staff were upskilled on the importance of nutrition to prevent falls and reported an increased understanding of how to plan balanced meals with key nutrients required to meet their clients’ daily dietary needs.
Shire of Tammin
The Shire of Tammin designed and delivered a community falls prevention program for older adults, aiming to provide practical strategies to prevent falls and tools to stay in their home for longer. In collaboration with the Northam Primary Health team, Holyoake and Live Up, over four sessions participants heard from guest speakers on various topics such strength and balance, medications, alcohol, home safety, accessing the aged care system and how to keep a healthy mind to reduce their risk of falls and promote healthy ageing.
A common theme among participants feedback was the importance of nutrition, managing medications to prevent falls and being aware of the health services available to help age in place.
Of course, the healthy and nutritious sit-down lunch provided the perfect opportunities for socialising and keeping a healthy mind.
Brookton Resource Centre
The Brookton Resource Centre delivered a ‘Ballroom for Balance’ falls prevention program. The six-week program held between September–November 2024 was facilitated by Ballroom Fit, aiming to reduce the risk of falls for older adults in their community through promoting physical activity that enhances cognitive health.
Eighteen older adults from Brookton, Beverley, Pingelly and Perth participated in Ballroom for Balance, with all participants reporting improvement in their balance, awareness of falls prevention strategies, and social connections. Many highlighted the joy of meeting new people and expanding social circles, including an increase in intention to join existing social groups within their community.
Overall, the program had a significant positive impact on older adults knowledge and awareness of how to prevent falls through exercising the brain and body, with plans to continue classes in 2025.
Congratulations again to our Improve Your Health 2024 grant recipients!
Health and community workers
Stay On Your Feet® delivered online workforce development training for health and community workers on topics such as enhancing cognition to prevent falls and how arthritis and osteoporosis impact the risk of falls.
The Stay On Your Feet® Falls Forum was a success with health workers and exercise specialists improving their confidence and knowledge of how to train older adults to get up off the floor independently. Topic experts discussed techniques used during different stages of this process and practical tips for implementing therapeutic and exercise interventions that strengthen balance, mobility, and confidence in older adults.
The forum also explored the fear of falling, which can impact older adults’ physical and social well-being, such as their confidence in doing daily activities and their risk of falling. It provided insights into how people working with older adults can help manage these concerns to promote healthy ageing.
Coming Up
Our next Stay On Your Feet® campaign, Remove Hazards, kicks off on March 1 and runs through to the end of May. The Remove Hazards campaign focuses on how to make your home safer, checking your eyesight and wearing safe footwear is important to prevent falls.
Stay tuned for more information and remember to keep an eye on our events calendar to stay up-to-date with our upcoming training and events.