Researchers at the University of Lancaster in the UK have found that AI-powered smart lights in care homes can reduce the chance of residents experiencing a fall by nearly a third.

The researchers evaluated a local scheme in which 800 AI-powered Nobi smart lights were rolled out across 80 residential homes and nursing homes in Lancashire and south Cumbria over a two-year period to see if advances in technology could help some of the most vulnerable people.

This scheme was funded by NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which organises health and care services across the region.

Lancaster University researchers produced an independent evaluation report of the scheme, and it found the lights reduced the likelihood of experiencing a fall by about 32 per cent. They also reduced ambulance callouts by 23 per cent, prevented future falls, improved the wellbeing of residents and reduced response times to a fall in a bedroom to under three minutes on average.

A systematic UK review found that around 20 per cent of older adults who fall experience a long lie lasting over one hour, resulting in significantly worse health outcomes and higher likelihood of hospitalisation and long-term care transitions.

“Falls are one of the biggest reasons for hospital admissions in our region so it was crucial that we explored new forms of technology and how it could be harnessed to predict and prevent falls,” said Andy Knox, medical director at NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria ICB (www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.icb.nhs.uk). “We are extremely pleased with how well the Nobi smart lights have worked, by not only ensuring residents who have fallen are responded to quickly, but by also communicating with care staff in telling them how the fall occurred which in turn has helped prevent future falls.”

Knox added that prevention was key to reducing falls and the information that Belgian firm Nobi had been able to supply to staff resulted in changes being made to the environment, which was why this technology had been so significant in keeping people safe.

Across Lancashire and south Cumbria, providers are supporting people with greater frailty, more advanced dementia and higher levels of clinical complexity, while also facing significant staffing pressures. Falls continue to be the most common incident reported by local care providers year after year, and many care homes consistently experience fall rates equivalent to 22 falls per 100 beds over a six-month period.

The homes that were picked for the scheme were prioritised to receive the Nobi lights because they face the greatest risk and have the most to gain from technology that can prevent unwitnessed falls, accelerate staff response and reduce avoidable harm.

“Seeing the real-world impact of Nobi in Lancashire and South Cumbria has been incredibly rewarding,” said Roeland Pelgrims, CEO of Nobi (www.nobi.life). “The results from the evaluation demonstrate how AI-enabled care technology can play a vital role in reducing falls, improving response times, and ultimately enhancing safety and quality of life for residents in care settings.”

The use of Nobi lights in care homes is estimated to generate an average annual saving between £16,110 and £33,606 per home, with annual savings across all homes between £918,306 and £1,915,549.

“This is the largest evaluation of such technology used in a care setting, with the independence from the company and the robust analyses used adding credibility to the very positive findings,” said Carol Holland, principal investigator of the evaluation at Lancaster University (www.lancaster.ac.uk). “The combination of different types of data examined ensured the voices of the care staff were included in the evaluation, giving us important insights on how the lights worked in a real-world context, what were the features and how the staff used them that resulted in the reductions of falls.”

Councillor Graham Dalton, cabinet member for adult social care at Lancashire County Council (www.lancashire.gov.uk), added: “These results show how innovative technology like the Nobi smart lights can make a big difference in keeping residents safe and reducing future falls which should offer reassurance to care home residents and their loved ones. It’s really positive to see care homes embracing technology for the benefit of their residents.”

The lights can detect falls and reveal patterns in sleep, health and daily activity.