Preventing Falls Among Older Adults Through Technology-Based Home Safety Assessment.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Falls in older adults are a significant public health issue, necessitating effective prevention strategies.
• Home environment modification is crucial for fall prevention, but traditional in-person assessments face resource limitations.
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is increasingly used in remote healthcare, suggesting potential for remote home evaluations.

Observation:

• A case study involved an older adult female with osteoarthritis and mild cognitive impairment experiencing recurrent falls.
• An occupational therapist conducted both in-person and online home safety assessments using the Westmead Home Safety Assessment (Japanese version).
• The online assessment identified hazards, leading to implemented countermeasures.

Findings:

• Results from the in-person and online home safety assessments were highly consistent.
• Following the online assessment and implemented countermeasures, the individual experienced no falls for six months.
• Family members reported high satisfaction with the online assessment process and outcomes.

Implications:

• ICT-based online home assessments show promise as a viable alternative or supplement to traditional in-person visits for fall prevention.
• This approach can overcome time and resource constraints associated with traditional home assessments.
• Further research into ICT-based home safety evaluations could enhance accessibility and effectiveness in geriatric fall prevention programs.