LeadingAge CAST Tackles Falls Detection, Prevention and More with New Safety Technologies Toolkit
October 18, 2018
Washington D.C.–Falls are costly for older adults. The good news: an increasing number of technology companies are responding to the need for help with fall detection and prevention through monitoring using safety technologies and devices.
Safety technology options extend beyond fall detection and prevention, however.
That’s why LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) today introduces its first-ever toolkit devoted to safety technology for use in long-term and post-acute care environments. The five-part resource educates providers of aging services and LeadingAge members on the breadth of available devices, applications and services available to help improve safety, sense of security, peace of mind and quality of life and care for older adults and their caregivers.
“Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans. Research shows that those who receive help within one hour of a fall are nearly six times more likely to survive than those who wait longer for aid,” said Majd Alwan, PhD, executive director of CAST. “Tech devices to either prevent falls or summon help after a fall, as well as check-in systems and community-wide communication systems, improve older adults’ safety and the quality of their care in many ways, whether the older adults live independently or in a community. Our toolkit helps providers and consumers with the identification, planning for and selection of the best products and services to meet users’ needs.”
Available online at no cost, the toolkit includes: a whitepaper, an interactive guide, an online product selection tool and a product selection matrix, both comparing 34 products from 18 vendors, and case studies from providers utilizing safety technology.
An additional resource in the toolkit whitepaper is a section for providers on Medicaid waiver coverage of safety technologies, as well as a discussion of other potential opportunities to incorporate these technologies into business and care delivery models, their return-on-investment (ROI) and how to calculate such ROI.
The LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) is focused on accelerating the development, evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies that will transform the aging experience. An international coalition of more than 400 technology companies, aging-services organizations, businesses, research universities, and government representatives, CAST works under the auspices of LeadingAge, an association of 6,000+ members and partners that include nonprofit organizations representing the entire field of aging services, 38 state partners, hundreds of businesses, consumer groups, foundations, and research partners.