Older adults have increased incidence of falls. A key intrinsic risk factor for falls is the presence of balance impairment. Studies have shown that as people age, their balance control declines. However, not all individuals over the age of 65 will experience a serious balance problem or fall. Those health adults dwelling independently within the community, who would not be assumed at risk by themselves or society, provide a great opportunity for investigation given that one-third of the individuals are projected to fall each year. The long term goal of this investigation is to contribute to the body of understanding of the sensory and motor aspects of balance that contribute to falls in the elderly, the ability to identify those at risk, and the possible ways to mitigate that risk in the aging population. Through discrimination and classification, more effective treatments and outcome measurements can be designed, applied, and studied.
