Novel Technology-driven Approaches to Enhance Mobility and Reduce Falls in OlderAdults.

Abstract

Each year, 3 out of every 10 older adults will suffer at least one fall. Approximately 10% of these falls will induce physical injury, and a portion of these injuries will impact the hip or head and significantly alter the individual’s trajectory of health from that point forward (1). And, even if the “faller” is fortunate enough to avoid physical harm, they will most likely walk away from the fall with diminished confidence in their balance and reduced willingness to engage in the same levels of physical and social activity (2). Thanks to the considerable research effort, we now know that the vast majority of falls are caused by interactions between well-defined—and often modifiable—characteristics of the individual older adult, the tasks they complete, and the environment in which they carry out these activities of daily living (1,3). Unfortunately, however, it remains a significant challenge for clinicians and their patients to act upon this knowledge. This is due to at least 3 obstacles. First, it continues to be extremely difficult to identify the presence of risk factors in a timely manner, especially those that manifest rapidly in response to relatively acute changes in one’s health status (4). Second, there is a relative lack of accessible interventions that can be personalized to effectively mitigate identified risk factors for a given individual, accounting for their unique set of health and living circumstances (5). Third, even if risk factors are identified, and an intervention is prescribed, it is then difficult to monitor the patient’s adherence to the intervention, their progression over time, and the extent to which the intervention impacts their function and fall risk in daily life (6).