How Assistive Technology can help those at risk of falls

Falls are one of the biggest problems which occur in advancing years, because of their high frequency and adverse health consequences. According to a study conducted by TILDA, approximately one in five older adults in Ireland (17% of men; 21% of women) experienced recurrent falls in the last four years.

A falls risk factor is something that increases an older person’s chance of falling. Falls commonly result from a combination of risk factors as the risk of falling increases with the number of risk factors that are present. The number of risk factors also increases as a person ages. Falls can put older people at risk of serious injury including fractures, cuts, bruises and even serious brain injuries so it is therefore vitally important to reduce the risk of falls in the home.

Even if there is no serious injury because of a fall, it can still be a frightening experience and may cause an older person to avoid certain activities due to the fear of falling again. As you get older, health conditions, physical changes and sometimes medication can make falls more likely to occur.

At Isaac Care, we are here to support people to live their lives to the fullest in the comfort of their own homes. The Isaac pendant is the next generation of technology in fall alarms and is a lightweight, discreet and an easy-to-use device. The pendant allows the user to easily call for help and speak directly to a loved one and can be used both at home and out and about. The Isaac pendant connects to our family caring app giving your circle of care real time updates via the app thus providing reassurance that someone is always on hand to help at the push of a button.

Physical activity can assist greatly with preventing falls. Regular physical activity makes you stronger and improves your balance and coordination.

Most adults over 65 should try to keep active if possible. There are activities suitable for people with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis or diabetes. Activities can improve flexibility greatly, if you avoid physical activity as you are afraid of the risk of falling talk to your doctor or physiotherapist who will recommend a carefully monitored exercise programme.

• Begin slowly with exercise you feel comfortable doing.
• Start with walking and increase the distance gradually.

Step trackers like Fitbits can be great motivators to keep moving, at Isaac Care we allow you to sync your Fitbit to your Isaac Care Profile. Allowing you to keep an eye on your activity levels.

Keeping an eye on your overall health is another way to minimise your fall risk. At Isaac Care we also provide simple easy to use health monitoring equipment where all readings feed directly into our app. Easily manage your blood pressure, weight, heart rate, temperature, blood glucose levels, pain levels, steps and blood oxygen readings. This empowers you to always be in control of your own health and wellbeing and to provide accurate readings and insights to your GP.