Technology to promote safe mobility in the elderly

New technologies designed to promote safe mobility of geriatric patients are described. Technology offers the potential to eliminate or mitigate preventable adverse events (ie, patient falls, bedrail entrapment, patient handling, and wandering) that interfere with treatment, delay rehabilitation, potentiate impairment, and compromise patient safety. Unchecked, these adverse events can have a negative impact on patient health, functional status, and quality of life. It is not surprising that the elderly constitute the population at highest risk for adverse events, based on poor health, chronic conditions, long hospitalizations, and institutional care.