Academics in Nottingham have developed a new app that aims to prevent falls in care homes by offering workers and families guidelines on how they can reduce the chances of one occurring and its impacts.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham developed 'React to Falls' to guide users through different areas that might cause an elderly person or someone with poor mobility to fall.
It gives practical tips in small pieces of information that have been shown to reduce falls and reduce the effects of falling over.
The app can deliver practical advice to anyone wanting to prevent someone they know having a fall, including residents themselves and their family members.
It also offers advice on how to keep active and maintain healthy lifestyle choices, two decisions said to prevent the likelihood of someone falling.
Pip Logan, professor of rehabilitation research in the school of medicine at the University of Nottingham, is one of the researchers who developed the app.
She said: “Based on our research, we know that all care home residents are at high risk of falls, we know that families and care home staff work hard to keep residents healthy, safe and happy. We also know that falls have a huge financial and personal impact.
“That is why we have worked with care home residents and staff on this fall prevention app, which we are confident will help to reduce the number of times people fall over.”
The app also provides prompts to tailor the actions of carers to support each individual resident, details to reassure carers they are doing the right things and its developers also believe it can help carers react to falls before they happen.
An example of questions the app provides guidance on is 'does your resident hold furniture when moving or are they unsteady when walking?' Another is 'do you notice them trip or stumble even if there's no obstacles?'
Dr Jane Horne, senior research fellow and occupational therapist at the university, also helped develop the app.
She said: “We look forward to seeing the app being used in care homes. We hope that people will find this a useful resource, and any feedback they have to help improve any future versions is welcome."
The development of the new app has been a collaboration between experts from the University of Nottingham’s Division of Rehabilitation, Ageing and Wellbeing along with colleagues from the University’s Mobile App Product Team.
‘React To Falls’ is available to download on iPhone and Android, from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
