World Falls Prevention Society Communications Committee Newsletter, February 2026

Welcome

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026 from the Communications Committee of the World Falls Prevention Society.

We have an exciting year ahead with the 3^rd World Falls Congress, coming up in June in Manchester, UK. Planning is underway to create an excellent scientific program, showcasing the amazing breadth of research being conducted across the globe to better understand and prevent falls in older age.

This newsletter contains information about planning your trip, keynote speakers and recent publications. We hope you enjoy it and look forward to seeing you in Manchester!

Best wishes,

Professor Anne Tiedemann and Professor Maw Pin Tan,
on behalf of the World Falls Prevention Society Communications Committee

MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE WORLD FALLS PREVENTION SOCIETY

The purpose of the World Falls Prevention Society (WFPS) is to promote the multidisciplinary study and implementation of fall prevention in older people and clinical groups with balance impairment.
OUR OBJECTIVES ARE:

To plan and organise WFPS congresses, symposia and meetings.
To present and discuss the latest research and clinical findings relating to fall risk factors and fall prevention strategies.
To facilitate student participation at WFPS congresses through travel grants, low registration fees and presentation awards.
To provide members with email notifications about upcoming WFPS congresses and other occasional email updates.
To facilitate interaction between members who meet from across the world.
To foster links with similar societies and networks around the world.
To promote the broad discipline of fall prevention research.
To translate fall prevention into practice and policy through guidelines, advocacy and education.

REGISTRATIONS FOR THE 3_^RD WORLD FALLS CONGRESS ARE NOW OPEN

worldfallssociety.org/3rd-world-falls-congress/

Early bird registration closes on the 24^th of March so start planning your travel now!

Abstracts:

We have received a record breaking 399 abstract submissions this year!

We are pleased to report that abstracts have been received from people representing 27 different professions, residing in 33 countries and include a broad range of topics and innovative approaches. The congress is sure to be a stimulating event with plenty of opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the globe.

Reviewers are currently busy reviewing the submissions and authors will be notified of acceptances around the middle of February.

Invited speakers:

We have 12 invited speakers presenting at the congress. These short videos provide an introduction to some of the topics they will cover:

Lara Mitchell

Toby Ellmers

Dawn Skelton

Cathie Sherrington

Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh

Planning your trip:

Manchester Convention Bureau is the official accommodation booking provider for the World Falls Congress 2026.

Through this website you will find accommodation options which are close to the venue, offering best rates available. You can book, modify or cancel your reservation via this site. There are specially negotiated accommodation rates for some of the hotels for a limited period. Please use the access code WFCBGSHOTEL to view these.

This accommodation website will be open until 27th May 2026; however early booking is recommended to ensure you are able to book your preferred hotel.

This event receives support in the form of sponsorship. For details on confirmed sponsors, please see the event webpage. Other than sponsored sessions, they have no input into the programme.

OTHER UPCOMING CONFERENCES

Canadian Geriatrics Society annual scientific meeting, April 23-25 2026, Montreal, Canada. https://www.canadiangeriatrics.ca/2026-asm

International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 5-8 July 2026, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Home | 23rd IAGG WORLD CONGRESS OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS AGEING WELL IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD

The 16th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (Safety 2026) 2-4 September 2026, Cape Town, South Africa. https://worldsafety.co.za/

11th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress, 5-8 October 2026, Mérida, México. https://ispah.org/congress-2026

SOCIAL MEDIA

The World Falls Prevention Society is active on social media. Please follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and LinkedIn, like and share our posts, and help us to spread the word about fall prevention!
Instagram: @worldfallssociety
Bluesky: @worldfallssociety.bsky.social
Facebook: World Falls Prevention Society
LinkedIn: World Falls Prevention Society

Do you have new publications or announcements you would like to share on our Instagram account? Please send any content you would like posted to dabreu@fmrp.usp.br

JOIN OUR SOCIETY

There are many benefits to becoming a member of the World Falls Prevention Society including discounted rates on conferences, webinars and meetings, access to online resources and the opportunity to get involved within the Society through voting or standing in annual elections.

Member categories include regular members ($250 AUD), student and post-doctoral members ($125 AUD) and developing nations members (complimentary). Membership dues are a two year membership, starting January 1 and expiring December 31st of the second year. The current membership period expires December 31, 2026.

For more information visit worldfallssociety.org/membership

RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORLD FALLS GUIDELINES

Seppala LJ, Lord SR, Masud T, Montero-Odasso M, Ryg J, Tan MP, van der Velde N. The world falls guidelines: how is implementation progressing globally? Age and Ageing. 2025 Aug 1;54(8):afaf214. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf214. PMID: 40794908.

The paper reports that global implementation of the 2022 World Falls Guidelines remains uneven, with substantial variation in adoption across regions. It highlights persistent barriers, including limited resources, workforce constraints, and inconsistent policy support, while calling for coordinated international efforts to accelerate progress.
Montero-Odasso M, Seppala LJ, van der Velde N, Ryg J, Masud T. Where implementation lives or dies: Lessons from Sweden on bringing the World Falls Guidelines to life. Age and Ageing 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaf366

This article examines Sweden’s real-world implementation of the World Falls Guidelines. Co-designed tools across care settings show that success hinges on strong organizational leadership and sustained implementation processes. The findings offer practical insights for clinicians, managers, policymakers, and advocates seeking to translate falls prevention guidelines into effective routine practice.
Nicklen B, Delbaere K, Ellmers TJ. Existing psychological interventions addressing concerns about falling in older adults: a scoping review, Age and Ageing 2025, Volume 54, Issue 10, afaf281, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaf281

This scoping review summarises the evidence on psychological interventions for concerns about falling in older adults, highlighting both their effectiveness and the feasibility challenges that currently limit implementation in falls prevention practice.