HEALTH & SAFETY


Fall & Response:


Goodbye to Undetected Care Home Trips


Palle Stevn, COO at MariCare, looks at the risks relating to falls in a care home and how a smart detection system could improve both fall detection and response.


The elderly who live in care homes are at greater risk of falling than those who live in the community, according to an NHS Scotland report. Initially this may seem like a contradiction however those who enter care homes are often vulnerable and frail. Residents may have arrived at the sharp edge of care because of the effects of previous falls, or patterns of falling in


- 16 -


their own homes due to deteriorating health conditions. Research from the World Health Organisation has shown that a sobering 40% of care home admissions are as a result of a fall.


Fear of Falling The risk of falls is increasing exponentially with the rapidly ageing population. Measuring from 2012 up to the year 2032, the populations of 65-84 year olds and the over 85s in


the UK are set to increase by 39% and 106% respectively, according to research from the King’s Fund in London. About one third of the elderly over the age of 65 endure a fall each year. World Health Organisation figures show that at 70 years, close to half of this age category fall annually.


The psychological damage following a fall can be immense, producing an


www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40