Can technology also help seniors to prevent falls?

Falls remain the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among seniors in Canada, with 20-30% of seniors experiencing a fall every year at an annual economic burden estimated at $2 billion.

Aysha Mendes, Close to Home Health & Safety Monitoring March 23, 2015

Falls among seniors can lead to acute injury, and ongoing chronic pain, as well as a reduced quality of life and loss of independence. Worse, for many, it can result in placement in one of Ontario’s overflowing long-term care facilities, or even death.

“Every 30 minutes, a senior is admitted to the hospital directly related to a fall,” says Susan Bonomo, a Public Health Nurse in senior services in York region Ontario. “The population of older adults aged 65+ is the fastest growing age group in Canada, those aged 85+ are the fastest growing within this, and we’re going to be seeing a lot more centenarians too, so the likelihood of having more falls, more injuries and the cost going up is obviously related to this. Susan also emphasizes that falls are not just a physical problem, but have an immeasurable impact on a senior’s quality of life and also affect their families, carers and the health care system as a whole.

“Falls among seniors don’t just involve physical healing, they involve a psychological adjustment to the fear of falling after having had a fall. Those periods of immobility that come following a fall can lead to further frailty and loss of independence – so that’s a huge deal. But the good news is that we believe falls are predictable and preventable,” says Susan.

Up to 80% of the falls that result in hospitalization for seniors in Ontario take place in the home. Of course, given that 93% of Canadian seniors want to remain in their homes where they’re comfortable for as long as possible, solutions to ensure their safety are needed whether they’re at home alone, with a carer, receiving in-home care, or living in an assisted-living or long-term care facility. According to Susan, ensuring seniors remain physically active, eat and hydrate well and regularly, take their medications safely and live in a safe environment, making use of assistive devices, where necessary, are some of the key actions people can take to prevent falls.

For example, Ontario’s Community Care Access Centres (CCACs) carry out home safety assessments to check whether a person is living in a safe home environment, without hazards, and whether they are deemed to be at risk of a fall.

The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care also runs an Assisted Devices Program which can provide funding to seniors who are looking to increase their independence, and Susan says that devices such as handrails, grab bars, walkers and canes can play an important role in preventing falls among the senior population.

Another key area that can often be neglected, but that may provide one of the simplest solutions to a public health issue like falls, is technology. The Chief Public Health Officer’s recent Report on the State of Public Health in Canada identified technology as a tool that can play a key role in implementing and delivering health promotion and prevention programs, and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute is carrying out research on a range of technologies for older adults.

Susan says that with the exception of personal emergency response systems (PERS), many technologies are not recommended because they are so new. However, according to the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, studies have shown that PERS are not that effective because either a senior isn’t wearing it when an emergency arises, or they are too injured to actually use it. More advanced technologies, like the ones being studied by the institute, aim to fill this gap by allowing seniors to live safely in their own homes.

Source Close to Home Health & Safety Monitoring

Also see
Canadian boomers want to stay in their homes as they age CBC
New Technologies Reduce Falls Today’s Geriatric Medicine
Canada’s Seniors and Falls: Statistics and Prevention Comfort Keepers
Preventing fall-related injuries in older adults results in health care savings Newmarket Today