HEALTH & SAFETY


Department of Health. In bathrooms the risk of a fall is particularly acute as it is an environment with slippery surfaces where an elderly person’s mobility could be pushed to its limits. Worryingly, these falls can easily go unreported or unrecognised.


Existing Aids Only Go So Far Determining whether bathroom equipment is sufficiently weight- bearing, recommending the provision of appropriate lighting, purchasing physical aids such as slip-resistant mats for baths and flowing; all are fall prevention solutions. Panic buttons and emergency cords provide a quick link to staff but are not a failsafe option. There will always be occasions when the suddenness or severity of a fall leaves the victim without the ability to summon help.


A New Dimension Technology, such as smart detection systems, delivers new options that improve response to falls whilst building a core of data that will help care providers to predict those residents that are especially vulnerable, thus improving the safety and security of the residents.


inhibiting loss of confidence which can lead to self-imposed restrictions that curtail participation in care home life. A fall increases the fear and likelihood of more falls and, with any loss of existing mobility, the will to maintain a degree of independence diminishes. Falls also contribute to an underlying accumulation of guilt of becoming a burden, which adds to the negativity of what may outwardly appear as no more than a minor mishap.


For the elderly, the amount of time that they lay on the floor following a fall can be crucial. Harvard Medical School research has shown that as time goes by, the stress on body processes through immobility signpost serious complications further down the line, such as hypothermia or pneumonia.


The Risk that


Bathrooms Present Approximately 60% of people living in care homes experience recurrent falls each year according to the


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The detector works through wireless technology to monitor residents’ movements, and if a fall occurs, it communicates with a remote gateway within the care home. This transfers the information to a cloud server, which then sends a notification to a preselected smartphone.


Convenient & Cost-Effective The advantage for care home operators is that it is no longer necessary to source potentially expensive specialist help. Smart detection systems are simple to fit in any bathroom with basic tools and there are no wires required due to the battery power – which lasts for approximately 12-months – with minimum disturbance for the residents.


Specifically designed to make living spaces safer and more secure, smart detection systems do not require the assistance of carers or relatives yet, it is not an intrusive solution. Research reveals that the elderly will readily accept smart technologies in care homes as long


as they are convinced that the solutions will aid with their physical movement and independence.


“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.”


Prediction & Peace of Mind Smart detection systems can be applied beyond identifying when a resident might require immediate assistance. It can also be used to track behavioural patterns that might indicate an underlying health issue. Data that the system receives is stored and can be accessed by a care operator. They can track a resident’s movements and see how often they enter and exit the bathroom, which might alert nursing staff to a hitherto undetected illness.


If care homes were to invest in a solution, such as a smart detection system, then it has the potential to reduce elderly fall rates by up to 30% an NHS Confederation briefing has shown.


Smart detection systems are a life- saving, technology-driven solution that should be considered as a bolster to a care homes’ existing provision; for the extra dimension it adds to its safety strategy and as the potential key selling point it delivers for the individual merits of any care home.


In a time of considerable upheaval in the broader social care system, which is producing an environment where every care home operator has to balance responsibilities to residents’ safety with pressures for financial constraint, smart detection systems provides an effective and dependable solution.


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