Fall Prevention in Long-Term Care: An In-House Interdisciplinary Team Approach:

Preventing Falls in Older Adults: A Multifactorial Approach

As people age they become increasingly at risk for falling with the potential for serious injury. With the boom of individuals over age 65 enjoying an increasing life expectancy, falls will be an increasingly important health care issue. Research into fall prevention and treatment emphasizes a multi-factorial approach. This approach involves carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the whole person and surrounding environment, determining factors that create risk, and then treating all of these factors. The approach is effective because it specifically designs an intervention to target each of the factors that puts a person at risk for falling. To maximize that effectiveness, a multidisciplinary team is employed that draws on the expertise and specific skill sets of each team member. By making people aware of their increased risk for falling and providing strategies for prevention, the team can help individuals more safely remain in their homes and communities.

A review of the functionalities of smart walkers

There is a need to conceptualize and improve the investigation and developments in assistive devices, focusing on the design and effectiveness of walkers in the user's rehabilitation process and functional compensation. This review surveys the importance of smart walkers in maintaining mobility and discusses their potential in rehabilitation and their demands as assistive devices. It also presents related research in addressing and quantifying the smart walker's efficiency and influence on gait. Besides, it discusses smart walkers focusing on studies related to the concept of autonomous and shared-control and manual guidance, the use of smart walkers as personal helpers to sit-to-stand and diagnostic tools for patients' rehabilitation through the evaluation of their gait.