The Active Ageing Research Group at the University of Cumbria is conducting some innovative research into how gaze and walking impact on balance in older adults. Using the latest in eye tracking technology, the aim is to explore how eye movement affects balance during walking
The Active Ageing Research Group (AARG) at the University of Cumbria in Lancaster was developed with the aim of helping older individuals maintain independence and quality of life through scientific research that can be readily used and translated into practical applications; in other words, focusing on impact, without compromising scientific rigour.
Maintaining functional ability and consequently independent living is of prime importance for the individuals concerned, so they can live longer and enjoy more fulfilled retirement years. Additionally, it can relieve the inevitable stress on the NHS, with the number of people aged over 65 predicted to rise by nearly 50 per cent over the next 20 years.
One way to achieve this is to explore falls risk in older adults. A fall is defined as “inadvertently coming to rest on the ground, floor or other lower level, excluding intentional changes in position to rest on furniture, walls or other objects”. Falls are more frequent in later life, with about one in three people over the age of 65 having fallen at least once, and this number rises to one in two people over the age of 80.
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