Professor Kim Delbaere is an internationally recognised physiotherapist and scientist whose research has transformed our understanding of ageing and falls. For too long, falls have been dismissed as an inevitable part of getting older. Her work has overturned that assumption, proving that falls are preventable, that prevention is simple, and that the right strategies can save lives, healthcare costs and independence.

Her research has revealed some of the most important insights into why people fall. She has shown that balance begins to decline from as early as midlife, that fear of falling can be just as powerful a risk factor as muscle weakness or poor vision, and that every fall has the potential to change a life in an instant. These findings have reframed falls from being just a physical accident to a complex but preventable interaction between body, brain and behaviour.

Professor Delbaere has pioneered the use of digital health tools to bring solutions to scale. She developed StandingTall, the first home-based exercise program proven in large international trials to reduce fall injuries by up to 42%. Delivered through an app, it provides simple but challenging balance training that older people can do safely at home. Unlike many health technologies that fade quickly, StandingTall has shown long-term adherence, with older adults continuing to use it for years. It has now been downloaded thousands of times, adopted by health services, and recommended in guidelines worldwide.

Her translational research spans the full pipeline: from discovering new risk factors, to developing and testing tools, to implementing them in health services and communities. She has introduced new ways to assess fall risk, from wearable sensors that capture subtle changes in daily walking patterns to questionnaires that identify fear of falling. She has co-designed programs with older adults, ensuring they are relevant, practical, and engaging. And she has shown how to embed these programs into hospitals, aged care services and community organisations, creating sustainable models that reach people where they are.

Professor Delbaere’s work is now influencing health policy and aged care reform internationally. Her work underpins global falls guidelines and are shaping best practice in more than 40 countries. Her advocacy has brought together governments, health professionals, community organisations and consumers to push for a national action plan on falls, arguing that prevention deserves the same level of attention and investment as cancer, dementia or heart disease.

What sets her apart is the clear and hopeful message that runs through all her work: falling is not an inevitable part of ageing. With balance training, safer homes, regular health checks and better awareness, many falls can be avoided. This vision of older people living with confidence, mobility and independence, is what drives her research, her innovations and her outreach.