balance and fall prevention promoting safety at home through telehealth rehab

Balance and Fall Prevention: Promoting Safety at Home through Telehealth Rehab

September 20, 2023

"Falls are not a natural component of the ageing journey; they can be prevented."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO)¹ , falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide. In the United States alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)² report that every year, a minimum of 300,000 elderly individuals require hospitalization due to hip fractures. When age is taken into account, falls are the greatest cause of injury-related mortality in people 65 years of age and older. Between 2012 and 2021, the age-adjusted fall death rate rose by 41%, from 55.3 per 100,000 older adults to 78.0 per 100,000 older persons³.

The total medical expenses attributed to falls exceeded $50 billion in 2015, with Medicare and Medicaid taking responsibility for covering 75% of these costs. Projections indicate that the costs associated with treating injuries from falls are expected to rise to over $101 billion by 2030.

For detailed statistics, visit www.statista.com

For Healthcare Providers

In your capacity as a healthcare provider, you can leverage telehealth to assist in preventing falls and ensuring the safety of older adults:

Implement CDC's STEADI initiative in your practice:

The CDC’s STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, & Injuries) initiative provides a comprehensive approach to fall prevention, aligning with the clinical practice guideline from the American and British Geriatrics Societies.

STEADI consists of 3 key elements:

STEP 1: Screen patients aged 65+ for fall risks.
STEP 2: Identify modifiable risk factors and assess fall history.
STEP 3: Implement strategies targeting identified risks, following STEADI guidelines.

Learn more about STEADI ↗

BlueJay Health Platform

When you use the BlueJay Health⁴ platform as a healthcare provider, a world of benefits opens up to you. With access to the platform, you can take advantage of its products, including BlueJay Engage, BlueJay Telehealth, and BlueJayRTM depending on your preferred choice.

One of the remarkable capabilities of the platform is the ability to prescribe from an extensive collection of over 4000 exercise videos and 1000 Home Exercise Programs (HEPs), all conveniently housed within the BlueJay library. This wealth of resources empowers you to tailor treatments to the specific needs of each patient, enhancing their recovery journey.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), telehealth has demonstrated positive outcomes in preventing falls among patients with Parkinson's disease, stroke survivors, and older adults with balance impairments⁵.

A notable advantage of using BlueJay Health is the seamless automatic record-keeping of patients' compliance. This feature provides you with invaluable insights into the progress and adherence of your patients to their prescribed treatments. Gone are the days of manual tracking; BlueJay Health streamlines this process, allowing you to focus more on delivering exceptional care.