Falling is scary, especially when you get injured in the process. Anyone can be at risk for a fall-related injury, but you can have an increased risk of falling, or of suffering severe consequences from a fall as you grow older and you develop comorbidities or balance issues. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults aged 65 and older, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For example, in 2019, 83% of hip fracture deaths and 88% of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for hip fractures were caused by falls, according to a 2023 study.
Risks of falling increase with aging. To prevent falls and protect your health, consider using a wide variety of technology available for fall prevention — from wearable monitoring devices and AI sensors to smart lighting and fall protection devices. Researchers have found that leaning on multiple types of fall-prevention supports can be more effective than opting for just one.
[READ: Best Exercises for Preventing Falls in Older Adults.]
What Is Fall-Prevention Technology?
Fall prevention equipment and technology can range from next-generation AI devices that give you insight into your balance and strength to supportive footwear that helps you feel more confident on your feet.
Types of doctor-recommended devices for fall-prevention include:
1. Alert pendants and systems
2. Bed alarms
3. AI home monitoring systems
4. Smartwatches and trackers
5. Oura rings
6. Stability scales
7. Smart lighting
8. Smart locks and doorbell cameras
9. Supportive footwear
10. Smart insoles
11. Canes or walkers
12. Grab bars or handrails
[Read: Best At-Home Chair Exercises and Balance Exercises for Older Adults]
1. Alert pendants and systems
Dr. John Schumann, an internal medicine doctor and the executive medical director at Oak Street Health, a healthcare organization that primarily serves older adults, says alert pendants can offer “an additional layer of security and peace of mind for both older adults and their loved ones.”
Many alert pendants, along with some smartwatches, have built-in falling sensors that can automatically detect a fall and send out an alert to get you help. You can program your device to send alerts to emergency medical services, caregivers, family members, loved ones or other trusted sources.
If you want a voice-activated alert option, you can get an Amazon Alexa or similar device, which allows you to give it a command to call a family member, friend or emergency services, depending on your needs.
[SEE Best Medical Alert Systems]
2. Bed alarms
Having an alarm by the bed may aid in fall prevention if combined with other approaches. While some studies have found that alarms can decrease fall risks, others have not discovered the same advantage and researchers encourage people to use multiple alerts, not bed alarms alone, to reduce fall risk.
3. AI home monitoring systems
AI home monitoring systems can help prevent falls by collecting data about your loved ones’ whereabouts and alerting you of potential unsafe situations. Nomo Smart Care, one such device, claims to offer fall prevention support with privacy-first motion sensors. The radar sensors monitor the home without cameras and send out real-time alerts if they detect an unusual change to your loved one’s routine.
4. Smartwatches and trackers
Not only can smartwatches alert someone when you’ve fallen, but they can also equip you with personalized health information that may help you prevent future falls. The latest smartwatches and trackers are packed with leading-edge medical technology, including electrocardiogram apps, stress level detectors, heart rate and blood pressure monitors, sleep tracking and blood oxygen readings, among others. For example, your smartwatch may track how well you slept the night before, what your heart rate is — and how that varies from your norm, as well as your fatigue level. By making yourself aware of these metrics, you can make educated decisions about how much physical risk you want to take during the day.
For instance, if your smartwatch tells you that you slept poorly and are more fatigued than usual, you may want to reduce your physical activity consider leaning on fall-prevention supports like your cane or walker, or be mindful to take the elevator instead of using the stairs.
Your smartwatch can also help send a text, or make a phone call with voice command. These features can help connect you to a caregiver or an emergency services if you fall, esxpeccially if you are not close to your phone.
5. Oura rings
Wearing an Oura ring is another way to assess your fall risk in real time. That’s because Oura rings provide information on your sleep quality, which can impact balance. You can use the information your ring provides to make decisions about whether or not to pursue activities that challenge your balance that day. For instance, if your ring tells you that you slept poorly, you may want to avoid risky activities like steep stair climbs and make sure to lean on physical supports to reduce your fall risk, like a cane, for the upcoming day.
Oura rings also offer movement alerts that encourage you to partake in physical activity. Dr. Eugene Lipov, the chief medical officer at Stella Mental Health and a longevity researcher, says that standing up to walk (or performing another motion within your capabilities) when you get these alerts can be crucial in building fitness and balance for the long haul.
“If you’re sedentary, you’re not going to be particularly well-balanced,” Lipov adds. “If you’re not balanced, you’re gonna fall over.”
“The mere fact it reminds you to move is beautiful,” he says. “You always want to have people moving — it’s good for the brain, it’s good for the muscles, it’s good for stability.”
For people who want to improve their stability, he encourages practicing sitting and standing from a chair without using their arms. Consider trying for ten reps a day.
[READ: How to Test Whether You’re Aging Well]
6. Stability scales
Stability scales are devices that measure your real-time balance capabilities to give you insights into your strengths and weaknesses that day. These devices tend to look like a bathroom scale you might step on to measure your weight. Instead of calculating your poundage when you step on, however, the scale detects teeny tiny adjustments in your stance that provide insight into your balance capabilities.
Katharine Forth — the CEO of ZIBRIO, a stability scale company and an expert in the balance world, holding a PhD in motor control and having completed her postdoc at NASA — explains that using a stability scale can be educationally empowering and a preventative approach for reducing falls.
According to Forth, studies have found that simply having access to the scale can reduce a person’s fall risk by up to 74%. The scale helps people plan ahead for the future, she explains.
7. Smart lighting
While lighting may not sound like a fall prevention device, it most certainly plays a role in keeping people aware of their surroundings and securely on their feet. Things like motion detection lights in hallways and stairways, night-lights and brighter overhead lighting throughout your home can help you to see your walkway more clearly and avoid walking into things or tripping.
“Good lighting might sound simple, but tactics such as having night-lights in all rooms, placing a lamp within reach of bed, turning lights on before going up or down stairs, keeping flashlights all around the house and getting illuminated light switches can go a long way in preventing falls and other injuries,” Schumann says.
If your current lighting setup isn’t bright enough to illuminate your home, you can consider adding LED strip lights under furniture or around doorframes.
8. Smart locks and doorbell cameras
This technology is helpful so you can monitor who can enter your home, and also avoid unnecessarily rushing to the door. Smart locks are electronic locks you can install on your doors, which then allow you to lock or unlock your door with your smartphone without physically having to go to your door.
To add another layer of safety, doorbell cameras like Ring cameras also connect to your smartphone or tablet, so you can see who is at your door, check for a package or get a glimpse of what is happening outside without opening your door. These smart locks and doorbell cameras are also helpful for caregivers and loved ones, as they can monitor these devices from a remote location.
[READ: Common Foot Problems in Older Adults]
9. Supportive footwear
“Comfortable, sensible shoes are not only good for fall prevention, they’re also easier on the joints,” says Schumann. He adds that supportive footwear — which can look like a hardy pair of shoes with non-slip soles — can be a relative ‘must’ for people who are at higher risk for falling, including older adults.
10. Smart insoles
Somewhat like a smartwatch or stability scale, wearable smart insoles are shoe insoles with AI-equipped shoe insoles that can give you information on your foot dynamics and pressure distribution in your stance. Wearing these insoles may help you identify balance issues, which you can talk to your doctor about. Researchers suggest smart insoles may benefit people with Parkinson’s disease, diabetes or neuropathy, as these diseases may elevate your fall risk. Older adults who are at risk of falling may also find comfort in these insoles.
11. Canes or walkers
“Many seniors may be reluctant to use them as they don’t want to appear frail,” Schumann says. He encourages people to ignore stereotypes in pursuit of safety.
“For those with balance issues, a cane or walker can be critical for everyday safety,” Schumann says.
[SEE: Tools and Devices to Improve Life and Mobility With Arthritis]
12. Grab bars or handrails
Grab bars or handrails are basic technologies with big benefits. Installing these in your bathroom and stairway can save you from a stumble in a hazardous area of your home, which can be especially important in preventing injuries — especially if you live at home alone.
[READ: AI Care Companions for Seniors]
Bottom Line
By utilizing fall prevention devices, you can alleviate some of the risks, hazards and fears associated with falling. Leaning on supports when you need them can be empowering and an important step in maintaining your aging body’s safety and strength for the future. Wearing fall-detection devices and installing items like grab bars, hand rails and motion-detection lighting can help to lower your risk of falling.
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Technology to Prevent Falls for Seniors originally appeared on usnews.com
