Question
Why is having Fall Detection and Alerts an important part of the Livio AI product?
Answer
Justin R. Burwinkel, AuD: When I think about how Livio AI is redefining the hearing aid as a multi-purpose device, there are several reasons why Starkey’s new Fall Alert feature should be attractive to both our patients and to those who care for them. First and foremost, we would all like to help the patient reduce his or her risk for falling by promoting good overall health and wellness. Livio AI is the first hearing aid that has been developed with features to improve both social engagement and physical fitness. Falling and the fear of falling are a huge problem for many of the patients that are being seen in hearing aid clinics, already. On an individual level, an injurious fall can completely change the projectory of one’s life. Whether our patients are voicing concerns or not, it is likely that many are already aware of what a fall could mean for them: activity restrictions—not being able to do the things that they enjoy in life, a loss of independence, feeling like they will become a burden on someone else, or a dreaded one-way trip to the nursing home.
Penny Tyson, MA: The societal costs are also staggering. Falls account for 85% of all injury-related admissions to hospitals, and 40% of all our healthcare system costs are for long-term care. Projections show, by the year 2030, falls will account for more than $67 billion dollars’ worth of medical care annually, in the United States. Moreover, there have been numerous studies published which suggest that hearing loss, itself, is a significant risk factor for increased rates of falling. Fortunately, we have been able to leverage Livio AI’s artificial intelligence capabilities to address one of the most damaging health risks associated with falls, “long-lies,” where a patient is not able to get back up after a fall. By providing patients with our new fall detection and alert functionality, patients who are using Livio AI can identify up to three contacts that would be alerted should the patient experience a fall.
This Ask the Expert is an excert from the interview, Starkey Healthable™ Hearing Technology and Fall Alerts.