Taking Care, the UK’s largest private provider of personal alarm services, is delighted to announce that it has acquired the wearable technology platform Advanced Risk Modelling for Early Detection (ARMED) from Technicare Solutions.
Taking Care has also retained the expertise of Brian Brown, the architect behind ARMED and previously Commercial Director for Technicare Solutions, who will be supporting the company to drive innovative and proactive fall prevention solutions for both its private pay personal alarm service for vulnerable customers and corporate clients in the social and healthcare markets.
Recent YouGov survey results conducted by Taking Care suggest that 87.5% of adults surveyed over the age of 55 said it would be more beneficial to be able to prevent a fall before it happens, and 80% would consider investing in technology and programmes to reduce falls.
Taking Care will be developing a new preventive platform (LOAF – Letting Older Adults Avoid Falls) that will build on the proprietary approach of Technicare to add scalability and integration with Taking Care’s own preventive products to help reduce falls in the elderly. It uses data gathered from the wearer to predict the likelihood of a fall occurring, approximately 32 days in advance. The data is monitored and analysed via the platform to identify the risk of a fall occurring and provides an opportunity to make personalised health interventions.
By mitigating the risk of a fall this proactive model aims to reduce frailty in older adults. AI technology learns the wearer’s daily activity habits and uses predictive analytics to detect any changes or anomalies which could increase a risk of falling. If a risk is detected, it is flagged to Taking Care’s Prevention Team, to assess where interaction with the wearer may be required, and a wellbeing call with appropriate advice is made.
Taking Care is also part of a consortium of organisations working towards revolutionising the approach to falls among the elderly, with the Move More Live More (MMLM) programme funded by Innovate UK, in Northern Ireland, where the clinical effectiveness of the ARMED technology platform has been evaluated by Ulster University. MMLM is an innovative falls prevention programme which uses health education, digital technology, and AI to revolutionise the use of wearable technology enabled care.
“We are excited to explore new ways to address the enormous personal and societal impact of falls in those over 65s. Our consortium team combines age experts, academic, scientific and health experts with hands-on knowledge of what works both for prevention and rehabilitation, plus cutting-edge technology… The impact of this project is not just on an individual’s personal health but could also bring radical benefits to the overall delivery of healthcare for older people.”
Steve Gates
Managing Director at Taking Care
With one in three over 65s and one in two over 80s expected to have at least one fall a year, a shift is needed in the way our healthcare system responds. Prevention can help change lives and improve the quality of care. Taking Care strongly believes that people should live independently at home for as long as possible while ensuring care givers have the tools they need to provide the right care to the right person at the right time.
Wearable technology data and predictive analytics can have widespread benefits allowing people to self-monitor and manage their own health conditions. Partnered with Taking Care’s 24/7 alarm monitoring, this provides the elderly and vulnerable to live a more independent and better quality of life and provide peace of mind for their loved ones and those who care for them.
Through wearable technology, the new LOAF preventive platform uses an intelligent algorithm which uses insights from a FitBit, worn by the user, to detect a benchmark for “normal patterns” of activity, based on daily steps and movement as well as typical sleep patterns.
Through online monitoring, AI technology identifies changes or anomalies in a wearer’s behaviour or activity level that could indicate they may be at an increased risk of a fall. The algorithm also identifies the potential triggers that could mean a fall is imminent. Data captured on a regular basis makes it easier to spot trends and supports better decision making for the individual, their loved ones, and those who support their health and care needs.
The acquisition of the ARMED platform allows Taking Care to build on the great work with Innovate UK and the MMLM programme and continue to take our proactive and preventative falls solutions into the local authority, social and healthcare, and consumer markets.
About Taking Care Personal Alarms, part of AXA Health
Taking Care, a subsidiary of AXA Health, has been providing personal alarm services for more than 30 years. Taking Care has helped ¼ million people and their families with personal alarms, supporting customers and their families across the UK.
Taking Care are now monitoring over 120,000 people, and 1 million alarm calls a year. The company is the only Which? approved personal alarm service and is the trusted provider of the Age Co Personal Alarm Service. Taking Care employs around 250 staff, each carefully chosen for their caring and professional manner.
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