clinical focus
The new ‘ Balance Mat ’ is expected to be implemented in aged care facilities soon . Picture : Supplied
On balance
Groundbreaking tool could help prevent falls and save lives .
By Elise Hartevelt
Scientists have pioneered the ‘ Balance Mat ’ in an effort to reduce high numbers of lethal falls in aged care .
Falls by older people are more likely to result in hospitalisations or severe injury , where data has found that 94 per cent of fallrelated deaths were of people aged over 65 .
Staff in residential aged care homes have been eager to reduce those numbers , yet are faced with significant challenges due to the complex nature of falls .
Canberra-based researchers from the Human-Centred Technology ( HCT ) Research Centre and Robotics joined forces with Aussie start-up ‘ Balance Mat ’ to design a tool that accurately estimates someone ’ s risk of falling over time .
Dr Maryam Ghahramani , a lecturer and HCT Research Centre member , told Aged Care Insite that current measuring tools are rudimentary .
“ Gauging someone ’ s postural sway – and therefore how at risk they are of having a fall – is usually done visually by doctors ,” she said .
“ This is very subjective , and therefore not a good measure – it isn ’ t precise and can ’ t be used to tell if someone ’ s balance is deteriorating or improving over time .”
Currently , classic questionnaire-format tools such as the STRATIFY scale are the go-to for clinicians as few digital tests exist .
If a medical practitioner does decide to use computerised devices , like the Force Plate , costs can rise as high as $ 30,000 , Maryam added .
Those devices often rely on preciselyplaces sensors and are prone to be disrupted by ‘ noise ’ such as a participant ’ s breathing .
“ The Balance Mat is the first technology I ’ ve seen that addresses these limitations , being small , light and therefore portable and just a fraction of the price of the others ,” she said .
While predicting fall risk is complex due to multiple factors , such as medication use and environmental hazards , research has linked postural sway as an effective indicator .
Maryam said that although humans naturally sway , it increases as we age .
“ You might be standing and not realise you ’ re swaying , but if you close your eyes , you ’ ll start to feel a bit wobbly ,” Maryam explained .
“ Postural sway also worsens when moving or in different positions .
“ So it ’ s very important that when you ’ re assessing the risk of falls we look
“ Keeping track
of a resident ’ s balance over time can prevent falls in the future .
at the postural balance of older people in different standing positions .”
Reduced eyesight and sleepiness are other reasons why older people tend to fall more frequently during night-time .
“ Older people don ’ t have good vision at night because the brain does not have that visual feedback and cannot correct its balance and posture ,” Maryam said . “ Sometimes , it becomes so bad that the person is at immediate risk of falling .” While aged care homes can undertake measures to ensure areas are safer at night , Maryam said keeping track of a resident ’ s balance over time can prevent falls in the future . “ Geriatricians will be better able to measure a person ’ s balance based on what is happening to their postural balance using the Balance
Mat ,” she said . “ They can repeat the test weekly or monthly and the data will be stored in the cloud platform .
“ If it worsens , they can devise some interventions and exercises .”
The Balance Mat ’ s next phase is preparing it for the market and expanding its usability for future use . ■
18 agedcareinsite . com . au