Supporting elderly independent living: High-tech solutions to prevent falls

The growing elderly population??

The ageing population is growing rapidly worldwide. People aged 75 and older, especially those over 85, are expected to rise by 150% over the next decade. While this reflects societal progress, it also raises concerns about the ability of older adults to live independently as care homes become more crowded.??

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Maintaining independence is crucial for the mental and emotional well-being of older adults, according to the World Health Organization (WHO ). Living at home allows them to stay engaged in communities and pursue their interests, reducing the likelihood of feeling lonely or depressed. Additionally, supporting independent living is more cost-effective, relieving the burden on healthcare systems and enabling efficient resource use.

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The biggest threat to independent living: falls??

Falls are the leading cause of injury among seniors and the biggest impediment to sustaining independent living. Annually, 33% of those aged 65 and older experience falls, which rises to 60% for those aged 85 and older (Veiligheid.nl ). Falling can have serious consequences, leading to severe injuries such as fractures, head trauma, and even death.??

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Many factors can cause falls. For instance, chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease can affect balance, while cognitive impairments like dementia can lead to poor judgment and coordination, increasing the risk of falling (WHO ). Environmental hazards also play a significant role, with around 43% of falls occurring at home! Often, the culprits are slippery floors, loose rugs, and poor lighting, as noted by Ageing Better .??

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Impact of falling??

Falling creates a downward spiral for seniors. Beyond physical injuries, falls often result in a loss of confidence, reduced activity levels, and a decline in overall health and quality of life. Also, falls strain healthcare costs, which are projected to exceed €2 billion in the Netherlands by 2030, doubling from 2022.??

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Shortcomings of current fall detection solutions??

Despite high interest in home care services (77%), the actual usage rate is low (7%). There is a significant adoption gap. Conceptually sound, wearable fall detection devices like watches or necklaces prove to be impractical and, unfortunately, unreliable. The main issue with wearable solutions is that seniors forget to wear them consistently, charge them, or even refuse to wear them. Additionally, devices like necklaces that need manual activation are impractical as they can’t work in more severe falls when the elderly cannot press a button. Automatic solutions such as watches also don’t solve the problem entirely. These devices lack intelligent motion detection capabilities; thus, they often misinterpret user movements and trigger false positives or, worse, fail to call emergency services when a fall does happen. Clearly, the fall detection market needs more user-friendly, reliable, and efficient solutions.??

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A better alternative: Wi-Fi sensing technology??

Wi-Fi sensing is a novel and revolutionary technology for smart homes. It uses Wi-Fi signals and AI to detect and identify motion accurately, including specific motions such as falling. Unlike wearables, this system uses Wi-Fi alone to monitor movements, providing continuous protection without seniors needing to wear or charge devices. This ensures uninterrupted protection for the elderly and respects their privacy, avoiding constant camera monitoring. When a fall is detected, the system sends immediate alerts to designated contacts, ensuring quick assistance and peace of mind for both seniors and their families.??

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Gamgee’s Wi-Fi Fall Protection for Elderly Care System?

We use the Wi-Fi Fall Protection for Elderly Care System to leverage Wi-Fi’s sensing capabilities to create a comprehensive and non-intrusive solution for both fall detection and elderly healthcare. Using AI, the system learns and can detect abnormal behaviour, track sleep patterns, and provide fall prevention tips based on the custom furniture layout in the home. Importantly, the senior remains in control, deciding which caregiver or family member can access specific functionalities and their health data. Also notable is that Gamgee doesn’t have access to this personal data, nor does the cloud. All sensing and health data is stored locally on the Wi-Fi router, ensuring privacy and security of user data.??

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The future of Wi-Fi sensing beyond fall detection??

Wi-Fi sensing is not limited to fall detection; its intelligent motion detection capabilities can be leveraged into other important home areas like home security and energy management. Anyway, one thing is clear—Wi-Fi sensing is set to revolutionise smart homes.??

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Support us on IndieGoGo and be an early adopter of Wi-Fi sensing for Fall Protection Elderly Care , or Home Security .