„Falling Only For Science“: promoting fall prevention science at LUNEX

On the 30th September, LUNEX hosted “Falling Only for Science”, an event promoting fall prevention science to older adults in Luxembourg. The event, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alessandro Marco De Nunzio, was supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR), Luxembourg and done in the partnership with the city of Differdange.

„Falling Only for Science“ offered 4 interactive stations in order to give its participants a better understanding of the science behind the development of fall prevention programmes:

• “Mind the Balance”: Interactive Station on Posture

The participants, were standing on an innovative device that creates an Augmented Reality environment, and experienced different environmental conditions (rough or plain ground, etc.). This exercise aims at a better understanding of the connection between fall risks and different external (ground changes) or internal (visual acuity) conditions.

• “Eat your Spinach”: Interactive Station on Muscle Strength

At this station, the participants went through two assessment tests: one measuring their muscle strength and one measuring their muscle mass.

• “Don’t be silly and walk”: Interactive Station on Gait

Using motion sensors, the gait abilities of the participants were assessed and an indication on their risk of falling provided. This test was followed by a series of gaming activities enlightening the importance of improving gait performance to reduce the risk of falling.

• “Safety first”: Interactive Station on Safety in Public Mobility

At this station, our participants were introduced to the risks of riding a bus by our guest speaker Prof. Dr. Christian T. Hass, Professor of Quantitative Research Methods of the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Idstein. Then, in a real-life bus, lend by IVECO bus, the participants learned how to access and ride a bus safely.

Thanks to the support of our academic members and our LUNEX students, who translated information in all the official languages of the Grand Duchy when it was necessary, each participant had been able to experience the event in the best way possible. Students also assisted our guests in the activities of each station.

With more than 75 attendees, the event has met with great success and received positive feedback from the participants, who left with a better understanding of fall prevention actions to be applied in their daily life. A new Falling Only for Science event will be held in March 2021, and if the sanitary situation allows it,  evenmore participants will be hosted.