Aging is Living – Falls and Fall Detection

We might laugh when we hear the phrase from a tv commercial from a number of years ago, “help, I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” But falls are no laughing matter especially for seniors.

A simple accident like tripping on the corner of the rug, or up a step, can change your life. For a senior, a broken bone can be the start of other health issues.

The National Institute on Aging cites that more than 25% of people over age 65, fall each year. Have you been to a doctor appointment or an urgent care and asked if you have fallen in the last six months? Medical professionals know the increased risks that older adults can experience after a fall. Our medical professionals are always concerned about how much exercise we are getting, how are we managing our medications, did we get our vision checked and is our home as safe as possible.

Even if someone has not fallen, the fear of a fall alone can lead some to stop activities. Staying active is so important. Edenton has several exercise classes including yoga and walking groups to help you plan regular exercise. The gym at Orchard Terrace is also open to anyone who is interested in using the fitness equipment and has been cleared by their physician or physical therapist. Edenton also has physical therapists who can assess and work towards goals to improve balance and ambulation. We do not want our residents to reduce their activity contributing to increased weakness and then the increased likelihood of a fall.

Edenton’s independent living residents receive an optional pendant that not only is a personal emergency response button (physically push the button to summon help), but it is also a fall detection pendent. This pendant, worn by the person, detects a change in their normal movement through accelerometer sensors. The extremely sensitive sensors can detect a ridiculously small change in movement, the speed of movement will differentiate between true falls and false alarms. The senor is measuring movement between left and right, forward, backward, as well as up and down. Sometimes the first few weeks of wearing a fall detection pendant can be frustrating because personal movements can trigger a detection. The learning curve is important for the device.

There are plenty of times, that a pendant detects a “fall,” and the person can report to the operator who calls from the monitoring center that it is a false alarm. The science is not 100 percent exact but there is straightforward evidence that at least 85% of falls are detected. The most important thing to remember? The pendant must be worn on the body, ideally as a pendant or a bracelet.

Obviously, the device will not work if it is hanging on the bedpost or the walker, or it was taken off to shower and bath. The pendant is designed to always be worn.

Fortunately, the pendant will automatically connect, and emergency medical services will be dispatched if a fall is detected, and the person is not responding to the operator. This act alone can be lifesaving.

Technology has improved over the 15 years that Edenton has been offering a pendant. It is amazing to see how devices can now use any landline connection, Wi-Fi, or cellular signal. Edenton also has access to devices that have GPS capabilities so that detection works at home or from any location.

Falls are no laughing matter and quite serious. Let’s work together to keep our seniors active and provide tools and resources to reduce falls from happening.