Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and falls specialists have developed an app which is the first of its kind in Australia to help prevent falls.
StandingTall is a clinically-validated self-managed exercise program to improve balance and help reduce falls.
It is designed specifically to improve balance, restore confidence, and reduce fall-related injuries in people aged 60 and over.
It was developed by NeuRA in collaboration with digital health specialists The Miroma Project Factory.
NeuRA said falls cost the Australian healthcare system more than $2.8 billion annually, but the app was offering a solution to the challenge to keep older Aussies on their feet.
New Australian falls guidelines say hearing impairment contributes to falls in older people as they may fail to detect environmental hazards outside their line of sight. Poor balance, walking difficulties, impaired cognition and functional decline are also associated with hearing impairment and increase the risk of falling.
“StandingTall is more than just an app, it’s a ready-to-implement, cost-saving intervention for health services, aged care providers and governments,” said Professor Kim Delbaere, director of innovation and translation at the Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre at NeuRA.
“StandingTall features more than 800 progressive, balance-focused exercises, tailored to each user’s ability and automatically adapting as they improve.
“It is intuitive to use, works offline and requires no special equipment, making it well-suited for use at home, within aged care services, and across regional and remote communities.”
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation and death for Australians aged 65 and over, NeuRA said. For those who have already experienced a fall, the consequences can be life-changing, from hip fractures to early admission into residential aged care.
Challenge balance for two hours a week
StandingTall is based on more than a decade of research and development, including clinical trials involving more than 2,000 older Australians. The results of the trials revealed fall-related injuries were reduced by 20%, with many users also reporting improved confidence and greater independence in daily life.
“Falls are preventable, and StandingTall has shown we can achieve that prevention at scale,” said Prof Delbaere.
“The evidence says that it is important to challenge your balance for two hours per week for a minimum of six months, but many people don’t know where to start or how to access the right support.
“StandingTall solves that problem by making it easy to do balance exercises at home. This is a solution that protects older people’s health, confidence and quality of life, while also easing pressure on our healthcare system.”
NeuRA said health economic analysis indicated that StandingTall was clinically effective and cost-effective.
StandingTall combines personalisation, accessibility and long-term engagement in a format specifically designed for older Australians. The app adjusts to a user’s level of balance and mobility, with exercises that evolve as they progress.
“StandingTall was designed to fit into people’s daily lives,” said Prof Delbaere.
“We built it to support ongoing use, with features like progress tracking and feedback that help turn exercise into a habit.”
NeuRA exercise physiologist, Ms Alicia Brown, said consultation was a key part of the app’s development, co-designed with older adults and health professionals to provide a practical, scalable approach to falls prevention.
“We built StandingTall with older Australians every step of the way, listening closely to what they needed and wanted from a home-based exercise program,” she said.
“What’s exciting is seeing our research and clinical evidence turned into something practical, something people can use every day to take charge of their health and stay confident on their feet.”
The StandingTall app is available for download and use across Australia, through a monthly subscription but the team is also working with health services and aged care providers to provide the program at no or reduced cost.
To find out more or explore partnership opportunities, visit www.standingtall.net.au.
NeuRA is an independent, not-for-profit research institute based in Sydney aiming to prevent, treat and cure brain and nervous system diseases, disorders and injuries through medical research.
