iStoppFalls - Information and communication technologies (ICT) based system to predict and prevent falls

The primary aim of the project and its consortium partners is to evaluate innovative home-based technologies for continuous monitoring and prevention of falls in community-dwelling older adults. This approach will enable tailoring individualised prevention programs coached by iStoppFalls, including exercise and education. Various different home-based technologies are employed: 1. The PC/ Microsoft Kinect 'Registered Trademark' based fall preventive exercise game (exergame ) facilitates real preventive exercise training, where data is acquired by unobtrusive sensing by PC/ Microsoft Kinect 'Registered Trademark'. 2. The Knowledge Based System (KBS) enables secure data management. 3. The iTV application utilized the Microsoft Kinect 'Registered Trademark' device. It provides all the relevant KBS data (personal health advisor), and thus provides the necessary information to include fall-related education and other exercise-related components. 4. The Philips Senior Mobility Monitor (SMM) unobtrusively and regularly monitors mobility in daily life. The 16-week exercise intervention primarily targets balance and strength properties and is suited to the functional level and interests of older people. The content of the iStoppFalls fall prevention exercise program was based on evidence-based fall prevention interventions targeting muscle strength and functional balance and mobility in older adults. The exercises selected for the prevention program were adapted to be incorporated into a videogame setting. The strength exercises were adapted into a videogame-based training program and the balance exercises into balance games. To maintain the challenge of the games to maximise improvements in ability and skill level, the level of difficulty is gradually increased within each game. Sixty community-dwelling older people will be advised to complete a minimum of 3 sessions per week (30 to 60 minutes/session), adding up to at least 120 minutes of system use per week. The intervention will be unsupervised and participants will exercise in their own homes. Instructions will be provided at the beginning of the study period when the system is installed. To encourage adherence, participants will be contacted by phone after weeks 1, 4, 8, 12 or if data upload shows non-adherence in between (non-use of the system for 5 days). In addition participants will be provided with a phone number to call if they have questions or problems related to system.