Osteo360

Falls are a frequent and costly issue in Canadian long-term care (LTC) homes, with nearly 50% of residents experiencing at least one fall each year according to the Canadian Geriatrics Journal (2020). These incidents come at a steep price— According to McKnight’s Senior Living (2023) each fall costs LTC homes approximately $7,000 CAD in direct care expenses, while resulting lawsuits can range from $100,000 to $1 million. According to Geriatric Nursing (2022), 30% of these falls result in residents remaining on the ground for over an hour, significantly increasing the risk of complications and harm. The urgency of addressing this problem is underscored by both the financial burden and the potential for severe health outcomes. Current solutions—such as hip protectors and staff monitoring—have proven insufficient. Statistics Canada reports vacancies for registered nurses and psychiatric nurses in Canada reached 28,335 in early 2023 — a 24% jump in just one year, the largest increase of any occupation in the country. Hip protectors from companies like HipSaver, SafeHip, Helite, and Geri Hips suffer from low adoption rates, often due to discomfort or poor fit. Meanwhile, overburdened nursing staff are unable to consistently monitor residents, leaving critical response gaps. A more effective, scalable, and user-friendly solution is urgently needed to address the shortcomings of existing interventions and improve fall response times in long-term care settings. The cost of inaction is at least 437,500 annually for long term care homes (cost of falls * frequency * number of residents).