Using home monitoring technology to examine changes in routines after a fall

Home monitoring systems can support older people to age in place, and data from these systems can provide insight into an older person’s activities at home. The aim of this study was to examine changes in sensor variables before and after a fall. Participants were recruited from clients of a home monitoring company. Fall history was obtained by interview. Sensor data from the participants’ homes were used to calculate total activity, transitions, active time, wake-up time and night-time bathroom visits. Linear regression was used to examine changes in the three months before and after the fall. Five participants reported exact fall dates with adequate sensor data surrounding the fall. Individual analyses showed that four out of the five participants had a significant change in slope of at least one sensor variable after the fall. Digital biomarkers related to home activity can change after a fall, but the specific digital biomarker that best captures the change may vary by person. Future work in a larger sample should explore whether sensor data can inform recovery to usual routines after a fall.