Tuesday, 12 May 2020
Experts at the University of Nottingham have developed a new app that will help to reduce the number of times residents in care homes fall over.
The new ‘React To Falls’ app is available to download on iPhone and Android, from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
Pip Logan, Professor of Rehabilitation Research in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, and one of the researchers who developed the app, said: “Based on our research, we know that all care home residents are at high risk of falls, we know that families and care home staff work hard to keep residents healthy, safe and happy. We also know that falls have a huge financial and personal impact.
The app can:
- Provide practical suggestions of what carers or care home staff can do
- Has prompts to tailor the actions to support each individual resident
- Provides detail that will give carers the confidence that they are doing the right things
- Helps carers react to falls before they happen
- Supports residents to remain active and make their own lifestyle choices
- Recognises managing falls is a continuing process
Dr Jane Horne, Senior Research Fellow & Occupational Therapist at the University and one of the researchers who helped develop the app, said: “We look forward to seeing the app being used in care homes. We hope that people will find this a useful resource, and any feedback they have to help improve any future versions is welcome."
The development of the new app has been a collaboration between experts from the University’s Division of Rehabilitation, Ageing and Wellbeing along with colleagues from the University’s Mobile App Product Team. Agile delivery and scrum methodology techniques were used to ensure excellent cross department collaboration was maintained throughout and ensured that the app was efficiently and speedily released to the app stores.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Pip Logan in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, at pip.logan@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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