Yannis Dionyssiotis
Singular Logic,SPC, Greece
Title: Deployment of technologies for the reduction of falls: The European project I-DONT-FALL
Biography
Biography: Yannis Dionyssiotis
Abstract
I DONT FALL (Integrated prevention and Detection solutions Tailored to the population and risk factors associated with falls) aims to develop, implement and evaluate individualized services for old people for the prevention of falls, with the application of physical and cognitive exercise programs, using modern technologies. This clinical trial started in May 2012 involving 500 users across seven pilot sites in four countries. Subjects (fallers or sedentary old people aged all above 65 years), were randomized into 4 groups of 125 subjects in the form of individual sessions twice weekly of cognitive and/or motor training according to the subgroup to which they were randomized (each one 24 sessions/in 3 months). The principal outcome for the study is reduction of number of falls, risk of falling and fear of falling between experimental and control group. On outcome of fear of falling measured by Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) we found a significant reduction for groups that per-formed the mixed and motor treatment (p=0.05; p=0.004). On the outcome of risk of falling measured by Tinetti scale, we found a significant reduction for groups that performed the mixed treatment (p=0.04). Mobility measured by 6 minutes walking test (6MWT) and cognitive executive functions measured by Trail Making Test part B (TMT B) were generally improved by any kind of treatment (p=0.06; p=0.04) but not by the placebo. Finally, we observed no changes on global cognition and functional abilities for any condition.