VMCH has partnered with HomeGuardian, an award-winning falls detection technology provider, and researchers from Deakin University for a three-year study on fall prevention in aged care. The project has received a $2.65 million investment from the Federal Government through the Cooperative Research Centers Projects (CRC-P) Grant program. The study aims to use predictive indicators to reduce the incidence of falls among older people in aged care.
Around one in three older Australians experienced a fall in the past 12 months and the rate is higher in residential aged care, with 30-50% of residents falling each year. HomeGuardian’s Artificial Intelligence devices detect falls and automatically escalate alerts within two seconds. The funding will allow VMCH to deploy more than $1 million worth of devices and support across its residential aged-care sites to monitor falls and enhance preventative measures.
According to Maria Paz, the Chief Information Officer of VMCH, the grant will allow the organisation to continue to be a leading innovator in the adoption and development of technology solutions to positively impact the aged care sector. The technology has the potential to not only reduce hospital admissions and injuries but also save lives while boosting independence and providing peace of mind for families and carers.
The research is expected to begin shortly and run until December 2025, making the HomeGuardian device the first in the global market to provide predictive fall prevention functionality in the $21 trillion aged care industry.
