Someone in the office was discussing reading about this new chair which is to be installed in the elderly wards in St Mary’s, Hammersmith and Charing Cross, London, which has been designed to prevent falls. Elderly patients are always at risk of suffering falls that can be really damaging. And caregivers cannot always be at their side. Hence, the development of this chair.
As per reports, this chair is fitted with a pressure pad device. The device gets activated as soon as the patient gets up. Immediately, she is halted in her steps as a voice recording tells her to wait for a nurse. This is followed by an alarm ringing in the nurses’ station alerting them to the patient’s attempt to move on her own and a nurse rushes to her side thus preventing any untoward incident.
This chair has been designed to cut short the risk of falling by elderly patients in the hospital. It has been developed by Dr Frank Miskelly, consultant in elderly medicine at the hospital and welcomed by patients’ relatives. And why not!
This is a wonderful idea, no doubt. You cannot have someone keeping watch over a patient all 24 hours and this chair is in a way, a watchdog. It is also beneficial for those suffering from Alzheimer's – relatives and caregivers, with the help of such a chair, can be alerted if the patient is about to get up and move away.
However, I wouldn’t think this device is the first of its kind. There are many such fall management apparatus available in the market which can either help prevent a fall or alert a caregiver to the patient’s movements.
Why, right here on this site, you can find some of these devices. If you browse the Fall Management category, you will come across many similar such items. There are Fall Protection products and also Fall Alarms. In the latter section, you will find door alarms, alarm mat, chair pad system, over-mattress bed system and other items of similar nature.
Fall Protection has garments, non-skid slippers, bath and floor mats and cushions that are designed to prevent fall and subsequent injuries to patients.
Therefore, these days caregivers are more at peace, not having to keep a watch on their patient all 24 hours. Because, their much-valued patients are just a tinkle away!