The best time to address a fall is before it happens. The next best time is immediately after. Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults, affecting more than 14 million Americans age 65 and older each year. But the consequences extend beyond the immediate injury. A fall can affect confidence, mobility, independence and a resident’s sense of security. ISF’s Reducing Falls focus area approaches the problem from both sides: understanding risk early enough to help prevent falls and evaluating technology that can recognize an event and get help to a resident faster when one does occur.
// THE OPPORTUNITY
Fall prevention shouldn’t begin with the fall.
Changes in balance, gait and mobility can develop over time, creating an opportunity to better understand risk before an incident occurs.
At the same time, even the best prevention strategy will not eliminate every fall. When one does happen, detection matters. ISF sees an opportunity to address the full continuum: understand risk, prevent where possible, detect when necessary, and respond faster.
// THE RESEARCH
Before we can prevent risk, we have to understand it.
ISF is supporting balance and mobility research with Cedars-Sinai to help advance the understanding of how changes in movement may relate to fall risk and healthy aging. Senior living environments provide an opportunity to understand aging and mobility in the real world, where changes occur over months and years rather than during a single clinical visit.
Read more: https://www.integratedsenior.org/updates/cedars-sinai-nih-r01-applications
// IMPACT TO DATE
Real-world testing is already producing measurable results.
ISF is evaluating three emerging fall technologies—Inspiren, Teton and Sage—side by side in real senior living environments.
The systems use different combinations of sensors, artificial intelligence and data analytics to help identify fall events while preserving privacy and support faster care-team response.
The objective isn't to select technology based on a demonstration or marketing claim. ISF is evaluating how these systems perform when introduced into everyday senior care.
That means looking beyond whether a device can detect a fall.
ACCURACY
Does the technology reliably identify events without creating excessive false alarms?
RESPONSE
Can it meaningfully reduce the time between an incident and care-team awareness?
INTEGRATION
Does it fit existing workflows, or does it create additional burden and alert fatigue?
PRIVACY + DIGNITY
Can continuous monitoring improve safety while preserving resident privacy, informed consent and trust?
SCALABILITY
Can the technology be deployed and maintained at a cost that makes broader adoption realistic?
Read more here: https://www.integratedsenior.org/updates/fall-prevention-real-world-test
UP TO 52% ↓
Decrease in average response time observed at a pilot community.
4 MINUTES
Average response time achieved at Ativo Yuma.
3 COMMUNITIES
Currently testing fall-detection technology in real-world senior living environments.
// CLOSING THE LOOP
From evaluation to a system-wide standard.
ISF's immediate goal is to move from testing fall technologies to selecting a standard fall solution for implementation across communities going forward. The evaluation of Inspiren, Teton, and Sage is designed to determine which approach best balances detection accuracy, response time, workflow integration, privacy, resident dignity, and scalability.
At the same time, ISF is working through the necessary approval process for its planned balance research with Cedars-Sinai. Once approved, that research can begin exploring the other side of the problem: how changes in balance and mobility may help us better understand fall risk before an incident occurs.
Together, these efforts address two critical points in the fall continuum:
BEFORE THE FALL
Build the evidence needed to better understand and identify risk.
WHEN A FALL OCCURS
Implement a standardized technology and response system designed to get help to a resident faster.
