NDSU Extension, in collaboration with First District Health Unit and N.D. Regional Aging Services, is announcing registration for a free, seven-week fall prevention workshop for area residents age 60 and older.

Stepping On will be Tuesdays from 9:00-11 a.m. beginning May 18 and ending June 29 at Zion Lutheran Church, 1800 Hiawatha Street in Minot. Contact the NDSU Extension office at 857-6444 to register by May 13.

Stepping On will help participants identify why they fall and different ways to prevent falls, including strength and balance exercises, home safety check suggestions and a medication review.

Participants will also view a display of fall prevention products. The workshop is both for people who have fallen and for those who fear falling. Participants will leave with more strength, achieve better balance, and will experience a feeling of confidence and independence as a result of performing various exercises and sharing personal fall experiences as a group.

Lindy Clemson, an aging research fellow at the University of Sydney in Australia, developed the program to help older adults learn ways to prevent falls. Dr. Jane Mahoney, executive director of the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging, brought it to the United States with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and other partners. Research has found that people who complete the workshop have a 31% reduced rate of falls.