Safe Embrace: technological innovation for elderly safety in the use of toilets

Abstract

Objective: to describe the development of a device to prevent falling for seniors when using the toilet. Method: we sought in literature and in the hospital market for a device to prevent falling, without success. Geriatric nurses, in partnership with the hospital engineering team, elaborated a prototype and, after several analysis, looked for a partner for its production. Results: the device, named "Safe Embrace", installed and tested in an apartment of the Geriatric ward, was positively evaluated by the health team, patients and caregivers. Conclusion: for the benefit obtained and considering the safety and privacy during use, Safe Embrace was patented so that other institutions could use it.

Tecnologías de monitorización para la prevención de accidentes por caídas en ancianos en un entorno hospitalario

“…Apesar destes recursos funcionarem como grandes aliados da prevenção de quedas, deve-se levar em consideração restrições legais e o sentimento de exposição do paciente, principalmente no que tange os idoso que interpretam a discrição e sua privacidade como critérios primordiais para sua aceitação e que podem funcionar como um obstáculo para a implantação do dispositivo tecnológico. (Cunha et al,2019;Khalifa, 2019;Hebb et al, 2021;Niwa et al,2018)…”

Elderly patient safety in the hospital environment: an integrative literature review

“…In Brazil, a study developed a device to prevent elderly people from falling while using the toilet, and the result brought benefits to everyone involved, from the elderly who felt safer while using the toilet, to the team that had the opportunity to optimize their time with the elderly and can provide more qualified care. 34 It is emphasized that among the most recurrent risk factors for the occurrence of falls in hospitalized elderly patients are functional decline, delirium, history of falls, advanced age and use of medication. Falls in the hospitalized elderly population represent harm to their health, thus verifying the importance of identifying risk factors in order to ensure safety for this target audience in the hospital environment.…”