Skilled nursing resident adherence with wearable technology to offer safer mobility and decreased fall injuries

Abstract

Hip fractures are a debilitating event for thousands of older adults each year in our communities and in our care facilities. The outcomes of sustaining a hip fracture include disability, significant cost and increased mortality in a growing population of those at risk of falls and fracture. Traditional methods of injury prevention from falls for those at risk of hip fracture include the wearing of hip protector clothing with limited adherence. A smart wearable designed to overcome barriers to adherence and offer hip protection with fall-sensing technology is emerging in older adult resident facilities to capture the fall as it occurs and avoid injury. This hip protection device has been evaluated in older adult residential settings to decrease fall injuries and support a culture of mobility. Adherence to the wear of the motion sensing technology can be accomplished by embedding the program into the daily care for residents identified as at risk of hip fracture. Successful adherence and shared results are illustrated with specific insight articulated in a single user case study.