Current Status
Monarch Balance for Life is not currently offering routine clinical fall-risk assessments or enrolling participants in an active study. Future research, education, and partnership opportunities will be posted on the website.
Who We Are
Monarch Balance for Life is an interdisciplinary research and community engagement initiative at Old Dominion University focused on healthy aging, mobility, balance, cognition, and fall prevention. We connect research, student education, community partnership, and clinical translation to support safer movement and meaningful participation throughout life.
What Is Monarch Balance for Life?
Originally established to improve understanding of fall risk through comprehensive assessment, Monarch Balance for Life has evolved into a broader platform for healthy aging research, education, and community connection. The initiative brings together faculty, students, clinicians, community partners, and older adults to advance knowledge and develop practical approaches that can inform future clinical and community services.
Our Mission
Our mission is to advance healthy aging by generating and translating knowledge that supports mobility, independence, and quality of life. We study the interacting physical, cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors that shape how people move, participate in life, and age.
Our Vision
We envision Monarch Balance for Life as a leading hub for healthy aging, bringing together research, education, clinical practice, and community partnership to help people move well, remain independent, and live fully throughout life.
Our History and Legacy
Monarch Balance for Life was established under the leadership of Dr. Steven Morrison, whose work advanced the understanding of balance, mobility, and fall risk. His commitment to rigorous research, student mentorship, and community impact remains an important foundation of the initiative.
Our Next Chapter
Today, Monarch Balance for Life is expanding its focus to serve as the foundation for a broader interdisciplinary program in healthy aging at 黑料正能量. Our long-term vision is to create a collaborative hub that integrates research, education, community partnership, and clinical innovation to support people across later life.
Welcome from the Program Director
I am honored to lead the next chapter of Monarch Balance for Life, an initiative established by my mentor, Dr. Steven Morrison, and grounded in a longstanding commitment to improving our understanding of balance, mobility, and fall risk.
That foundation remains central to our work, but our vision is expanding. We are building an interdisciplinary platform for healthy aging research, student education, community engagement, and clinical translation at Old Dominion University. Our goal is to generate knowledge that not only advances science but also informs practical approaches that help people move safely, remain independent, and participate meaningfully across later life.
Healthy aging is too complex for any one discipline or organization to address alone. We welcome collaboration with researchers, clinicians, students, community organizations, older adults and caregivers, healthcare systems, and industry partners. Opportunities may include collaborative research, educational presentations, continuing education for clinicians, evaluation of equipment and wearable technologies, consultation, and the development of new clinical or community initiatives.
Whether you have a research question, a clinical challenge, a technology to evaluate, or an idea for serving older adults, I invite you to start a conversation with us. Together, we can build evidence, develop partnerships, and translate discovery into practical improvements in healthy aging.
Brittany Samulski
Program Director, Monarch Balance for Life
Ways to Collaborate
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Research
Develop studies, grants, analyses, and dissemination projects related to healthy aging, mobility, cognition, and fall prevention.
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Education
Partner on talks, workshops, and community programs for older adults, caregivers, students, and professional groups.
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Continuing Education
Create professional development and practice-focused learning for clinicians who serve older adults.
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Technology Evaluation
Collaborate on feasibility, usability, reliability, and validity studies for equipment, wearables, and digital tools.
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Consultation
Seek evidence-informed guidance on program development, assessment, implementation, or healthy aging initiatives.
Start a Conversation
Contact Dr. Brittany Spear Samulski to discuss research, education, technology evaluation, consultation, or community partnership opportunities.