Registration is open for a free seven-week “Stepping On” workshop aimed at helping participants avoid falls.
The in-person workshop will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 202 W. Grand Ave., from 1 to 3:15 p.m. on Wednesdays from Sept. 15 through Oct. 27. The Eau Claire County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is sponsoring the workshop series.
Attendance will be limited to six or seven people and advance registration is required by Sept. 8, according to an ADRC press release. Registration can be completed online at www.adrcevents.org or by calling the agency at 715-839-4735 (or at 1-888-338-4636).
One in four people age 65 or older has a fall in the course of a year, according to the ADRC. Its press release said the “Stepping On” workshop “has been researched and proven to reduce falls by 30%.”
The workshops will be repeated online from 1:30 to 3:45 p.m. on Mondays, starting on Nov. 1 and running through Dec. 13.
The ADRC said that the in-person workshops will follow local health guidelines and those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that are in effect at the time each session takes place.
The workshops will provide guidance on identifying and removing hazards that could cause falls both inside and outside the house, according to the ADRC. The agency said “Stepping On” will also cover how vision, hearing, medication and footwear affect the risks of falling, and how to get up from a fall the best way, if that becomes necessary.
Strength and balance exercises that can be adapted to a person’s individual needs and abilities will also be part of the workshop curriculum.