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Wearable sensors for fall risk screening – Insights from older persons [PCC093]

Tuesday May 5, 2026 17:00 - 17:15 G1

Presenter: Madelene Törnblom

Track: Digitalisation and eHealth

Background: Falls are a major health concern among older persons, and wearable sensors offer promising opportunities for fall risk prediction in real-world settings. However, the acceptability and user experience of such technologies among older persons in their daily lives remain understudied. Understanding the experiences of older persons is essential for the successful implementation of wearable sensor-based fall risk screening. Methods: In 2024, a qualitative study was conducted in Sweden with 21 community-dwelling older persons (13 women and 8 men) aged 77–81 years. Participants wore a thigh-mounted wearable sensor for one week to screen for fall risk in daily life. Individual interviews were held 9–89 days after sensor use (median: 15 days) and analysed using conventional qualitative content analysis. Results: Older persons’ experiences with wearable sensor-based fall risk screening were explored through the overarching theme ‘Being an older person in a fall screening process’. Despite the standardised procedure of the screening, they all had unique experiences reflecting a diversity of perspectives. While the sensor was generally experienced as easy to use, some encountered challenges during wear, such as losing the sensor. The older persons emphasized that screening results must be personally meaningful and actionable for health improvement, expressing a desire to actively use the information to support their health goals. Conclusions: The older persons described diverse and unique experiences of wearable sensor-based fall risk screening in their daily lives. The wearable sensor was perceived as an acceptable tool, emphasizing the value of further research into fall risk technology to enhance the accuracy of fall risk assessments in daily life. The results of this study highlight that the screening results should be presented in a person-centred way, ensuring that the older person can understand and, if they wish, use the information to actively support and improve their health.
Language

English

Conference

GCPCC

GCPCC Seminar type

Orals

GCPCC Code

PCC093

Lecturers

Madelene Törnblom Presenter