Fall Prevention Innovation
Hip Protection
Eskaton resident, Marilyn Hoffman, wrote a letter asking if there was a belt available on the market that could be wore to protect the hips in the case of a fall. After searching Eskaton partnered with Tango Belt, to design and test an early concept of a hip protection belt. Residents worked collaboratively with designers and engineers to user test prototypes over 2+ years. This resident-led initiative began with the desire to reduce the risk of fall-related injury. Early testers reported a decrease in fear of falling and feel more empowered to take walks and exercise.
Artificial Intelligence Fall Detection
Residents living with some form of cognitive change are 4X more likely to fall. Often residents living with cognitive change are unable to communicate why he/she fell or whether their head made contact with the ground. With limited information, many residents are admitted to the ER as a precaution. ER visits are both disruptive and traumatic for anyone, especially someone living with dementia. Eskaton partnered with SafelyYou to provide additional information to team members about why and how the fall occurred. This innovative AI technology has enabled teams to make better-educated decisions with residents and family members about whether an ER visit is needed.
Community Fall Reduction
Eskaton and Dignity Health entered into a partnership and piloted a fall prevention program for nearly 100 community-dwelling older adults. The program included access to care coordination services, an in-home fall risk assessment, and bi-weekly balance classes. The program measured fall-risk, fear of falling, lower-body strength, flexibility and balance at pre and post assessments to validate the program. Results showed significant reductions in fall risk and fear of falling and enhancements in quality of life.