But most falls happen at home. As an adult, I found my own mother on the floor of her apartment. She had fallen during the night, broken her arm and couldn't get up. Falls like this are fairly common and often lead to rapidly declining health. About one third of people over 65 take spills. More statistics about seniors falling are all laid out in a really interesting article in the New York Times business section on new devices that help to prevent falls by tracking the daily pattern of movements older adults make in their own homes.
I love the idea of using technology to help people age in place successfully. Companies like Intel and General Electric are investing in the field. To read more, use the link below to the Times article (synopsis included below, too).
Watch the Walk and Prevent a Fall
Researchers are applying tools like wireless motion sensors in their quest to prevent the elderly from falling in their homes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/business/08unboxed.html
