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Health & Fitness

Do You Worry If Mom or Dad May Suffer From a Fall Without You Being There?

There may now be a solution to this worry. According to an article released by CBS news, researchers are studying the use of newly developed gadgets in seniors’ homes that detect early warning signs that a senior may be at risk for a fall or sickness. These gadgets are high-tech motion sensors that detect a senior’s everyday activity from sitting in their favorite chairs to opening the fridge to lying in bed. There are already similar motion sensors already used in senior homes and hospitals, but these are not as advanced and do not show ranges of activity which result from early warning signs of possible falls or sicknesses. The other major difference is that these new gadgets, if proven to work efficiently, may be open to families to monitor their parents, grandparents or other loved ones activities.

The way that the motion-sensor works is that it detects if the senior monitored is walking slower or doing other unusual activity such as staying in bed too long, if they have forgotten to take their medication or even if they are walking at a slower rate. It can detect the change in activity days before an elderly person makes a trip to the doctor because of their actions. Researchers have related inactivity of daily routines in correlation with weakness, fatigue or restlessness, which can contribute to serious falls or sickness.

If these sensors are proven to work, they will not only contribute to easing the worries that a family may carry for their elderly loved ones, but they may promote a higher rate of independence for seniors. Physicians and nurses agree that encouraging independence can prevent decreased activities of daily living.  This means not having to constantly be monitored or under the constant care of a nursing facility or an in-home care nurse. This increased independence may help for elderly persons to have an overall better quality of life because they will be able to age in their own environment.

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As for now, the gadgets are not on the market, but there are studies being done on participants to prove the usage and results. The attorneys at Malman Law welcome new and upcoming research to better assist both family members and nurses of the elderly when it comes to keeping them safe and preventing incidents that could lead to serious injuries.

As of right now, when an elderly person is under the care of a facility, the staff is trained to watch out for early warning signs of sicknesses and falls as well as to prevent them with proper procedures. If these warning signs were not identified or charted in notes and your loved one suffered from an injury due to a fall or sickness, the facility which your loved one stays may be liable for any damages done. Call an Illinois personal injury attorney today to learn more about the legal rights and compensation that a victim and their family may be entitled to.

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To learn more about signs of abuse in nursing homes, download "6 Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse." To learn more about Malman Law, visit our website, www.malmanlaw.com


[i] CBSNEWS. July 10, 2013. “Motion sensors in seniors' homes may be tracked by loved ones, nurses.”

 

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