ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

Results tagged “falls” from ShAARP Session

Jul '09 9

Jennie Chin Hansen | 2:13 PM | 0 Comments

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I recently read this article on USAToday.com about how many older Americans fall each year because of their canes or walkers.

Safely getting around is incredibly important for everyone. Not just for health reasons, but also for connecting to others! Nearly 50,000 older Americans fall each year as a result of improperly measured/fitted canes and walkers, we have to stop and wonder what we can do to fix this problem. Simply stated - talk to your doctor or physical therapist. If you've just had knee surgery and your doctor says you need crutches, ask him/her to see that any equipment is customized for you and you're evaluated as using them properly. Or maybe your parent or loved one just got word that they need to use a walker now - do some research and go with them when they get fitted.

As always, communicating with and understanding instructions from our health care professionals is paramount to our long-term health and well-being.

Aug '08 8

Alejandra Owens | 10:37 AM | 0 Comments

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It looks like the wonders of technology may be bringing older folks a shoe that may help them avoid falls. This is not just any old shoe, people - it's an iShoe.

Erez Lieberman of MIT actually originally created the shoe as an experiment for astronauts with balance issues after returning home from the weightlessness of space life. But after Lieberman's grandmother had a bad fall, he realized that the invention could serve as a "balance diagnostic" to assist doctors and patients prevent falls before they occur.

Essentially what the shoe does is use its insole to measure the pressure of the foot and report it to a person's doctor, and in extreme cases, report an alarm when a fall actually occurs. But for the most part, this awesome tech shoe will serve as a warning so that future falls can be detected, and avoided. And considering that falls are a leading cause of death for people over 65, we'll be welcoming the iShoe with open arms.

Via Gizmodo.

Jul '08 21

David Goldstein | 9:17 AM | 0 Comments

Falls are a serious concern for older Americans. Not only do they pose a risk to many older people who live alone and don't have easy access to assistance, but they also lead to many life threatening injuries. However, a new development in shoe technology, the iShoe, could literally help to keep you on your feet. Sensors in the shoe can actually evaluate how the wearer's weight is distributed and alert the user about imbalances. In the future, the shoe may even be able to automatically compensate for imbalances.

Technology that can help prevent falls is clearly a step in the right direction (no pun intended), but gizmos to keep drivers on the road and help them recognize obstacles in the street would be a welcome advance as well. General Motors is working on just that sort of technology with a smart windshield that can identify the borders of a road in poor visibility and even point out objects in the road. Nice to see GM showing some drive to improve car safety (OK that time the pun was intended).