Fear of falling (FoF) affects many older adults. It can impose limitations upon daily activities and result in behaviour that avoids movement and exercise and stops people going out. This project brings together clinicians, physiotherapists, older people, designers and artists to co-design Virtual Reality (VR) experiences that explore and mitigate the unspoken fears and anxieties related to falling.

Building on an existing VR application [EmbodiMap] developed by fEEL to address anxiety, trauma and stress the project will adapt a VR tool and co-design protocols to create an experience that supports War Memorial Hospital outpatients in building awareness and transforming the lived experience of anxiety in relation to fear of falling. Using a co-design approach enables us to understand how anxiety and fear of falling manifest and provide valuable insights into self-limiting behaviours.

A research partnership between fEEL Lab, NeuRa (Neuroscience Research Australia) and Uniting War Memorial Hospital.

Funded by Ageing Futures Institute, UNSW Sydney under and interdisciplinary fund scheme and Art, Design and Architecture (ADA), UNSW Faculty Research Support Scheme