Innovations to prevent falls in the elderly
According to the World Health Organisation, falls are the second leading cause of death from unintentional injuries globally. As seniors advance in age, many may need a holistic support system, including family, caregivers, and a residence that has been outfitted to accommodate the common frailties of age: reduced vision, decreased mobility, increased risk of falls and more. In this post, we would like to introduce a number of innovative solutions to aid in the mission to help prevent elderly falls.
Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/AsiaMDsg
Toilet Safety Frames to prevent elderly falls
It’s no secret that bathrooms are slippery. Having a sturdy and dependent grab bar at the right spots at home can significantly reduce the occurrences of elderly falls. For enhanced protection, consider investing in a sturdy toilet safety frame to assist seniors when using the toilet as it provides additional support when sitting down or standing up. Besides the elderly, toilet safety frames are perfect for the physically disabled and for those who are recovering from surgery or injury, preventing slips and falls for peace of mind.
Prevent elderly falls through Motion Night Lights
Having the right type of light is essential to prevent falls, otherwise, it defeats the purpose of setting up a smart home to reduce the probability of falls. Motion-activated lights are among the most recommended options for seniors as they are easy to install and affordable. They conveniently turn on when someone enters their field of vision, sparing the person from searching for the switch. They will be turned off automatically (usually after approximately 90 seconds), so there is no cause for worry for seniors to manually turn off the light when they don’t need it.
Smart Light: Voice-controlled lighting system
In a nutshell, smart light technology is a voice-activated intelligent control system. The adoption of this control system is straightforward: Aside from adjusting the light levels to your needs through your voice, it helps to prevent falls by simply turning itself on in advance, especially when seniors are making their way to another room or the toilet in the middle of the night. By purchasing a quality smart bulb and pairing it with a voice recognition device, seniors can turn on the lights remotely by simply using their voice or phone. The technology behind this is simple: just say “Lights on” and upon recognising your voice, it sends a signal to the bulb’s WiFi receiver which turns the light on.
Using Virtual Caregiver to help prevent falls in the elderly
The device can be placed on a wall and it monitors senior’s safety and room movements remotely – it uses no cameras, no wearables and no buttons. Scanning the room continuously 24/7, it can detect if anyone has fallen and immediately calls for help. It uses radio frequency waves that are significantly weaker than WiFi signals to monitor the room and detect resident activity. It is also capable of detecting if a resident has entered another room, if they are in or out of bed, and if they are in the bathroom, supporting advanced activity analytics that enables better patient and resident care that will make caregivers’ lives easier.
It should be emphasised that night lights alone cannot safeguard a senior’s well-being. In case the elderly resident is prone to falling, other preventive measures must be implemented as well. Other related home devices—such as grab bars in the toilets and walkways, placing a toilet bench, quality anti-slip mats etc can make everyday life safer, and improve the quality of life for seniors.
This article was produced solely for the purpose of healthcare and medical knowledge. Not all innovations are available or approved for clinical use. AsiaMD may receive financial or non-financial sponsorship from the companies or institutions involved in these innovations. However, AsiaMD does not endorse any specific product or services in the article, in addition to the Terms and Conditions for the use of our AsiaMD.com website. Please consult your healthcare professional if you need more information.
0 Comments