Preventing and managing indoor falls with home-based technologies in mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease patients: pilot study in a community dwelling

Abstract

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is known to increase the risk of falls. We aim to determine the effectiveness of home-based technologies coupled with teleassistance service (HBTec-TS) in older people with AD.

Methods: A study of falls and the HBTec-TS system (with a light path combined with a teleassistance service) was conducted in the community. The 96 subjects, drawn from a random population of frail elderly people registered as receiving an allocation for lost autonomy from the county, were aged 65 or more and had mild-to-moderate AD with 1 year of follow-up; 49 were in the intervention group and 47 in the control group.

Results: A total of 16 (32.7%) elderly people fell in the group with HBTec-TS versus 30 (63.8%) in the group without HBTec-TS. The use of HBTec-TS was significantly associated with a reduction in the number of indoor falls among elderly people with mild-to-moderate AD (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.15-0.88, p = 0.0245).

Conclusion: The use of the HBTec-TS significantly reduced the incidence of primary indoor falling needing GP intervention or attendance at an emergency room among elderly people with AD and mild-to-moderate dementia.