New Technology Helps Prevent Falls
Providence Life Services has partnered with VirtuSense technology and Symbria’s Well-Being Program to offer an effective method of detecting residents’ risk for future falls, allowing healthcare professionals to design an exercise program specifically for each resident when needed.
Victorian Village in Homer Glen, Ill., was one of the first communities to use the VirtuSense program. “We know everyone wants to stay as independent as possible in their living environment,” says Jackie Terpstra, Victorian Village Executive Director. “A fall may be the reason someone loses that physical independence. VirtuSense gives each user a chance to prevent falls before they happen.”
Many of the falls that occur to older adults are preventable by identifying deficits in balance, gait, and function, and then strengthening the areas of need. VirtuSense uses interactive technology, paired with the user’s history, to find red flags that signify falls are likely. That information is used to recommend a course of action.
Symbria’s Well-Being trainers use VirtuSense’s evidence-based findings to design a personalized approach to improving each user’s performance. This data can be used to establish a baseline and track objective improvements that will protect the older adult from falls.
VirtuSense will soon be available at all of our Retirement and Assisted Living communities. Many have already begun to use this helpful tool, and have held informational sessions demonstrating just how much simple this assessment can be.
