Fallproof! : A Comprehensive Balance and Mobility Training Program

Debra Rose, PhD, is a professor in the division of kinesiology and health science and director of the Center for Successful Aging at California State University at Fullerton. She also serves as codirector of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence at the University of Southern California. Her primary research focus is on the enhancement of mobility and the prevention of falls in later years.

Dr. Rose is nationally and internationally recognized for her work in assessment and programming for fall risk reduction. Her research in fall risk reduction in the elderly has been published in numerous peer-reviewed publications, including the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology Report, and the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. She was an expert contributor to the Global Report on Falls Prevention inOlder Age published by the World Health Organization in 2007.

The innovative fall risk reduction program she developed and describes in this manual was recognized by the Health Promotion Institute of the National Council on Aging (NCOA) in 2006 as a “Best Practice” program in health promotion. This program is currently being implemented in numerous community-based settings and retirement communities throughout the United States. The NCOA also awarded Debra the Molly Mettler award for Leadership in Health Promotion for her work in the area of fall risk reduction in 2007.

Debra is a fellow of the Research Consortium of AAHPERD, a fellow of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, former executive board member of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, and past editor in chief of the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.