Comment: On this World Sleep Day the role of technology in preventing falls in older adults
The importance of sleep is often underestimated, yet it is one of the most powerful indicators of overall health and wellbeing, especially for older adults, according to technology-enabled care provider Everon UK.
On this World Sleep Day today the spotlight is on how quality rest underpins safety, resilience and long-term independence. For care environments, monitoring sleep patterns is no longer just about comfort, it can provide vital early warning signs of emerging health issues from increased fall risk to cognitive decline.
Peter Kerly, Managing Director at Everon UK, explores why data matters, what insights can be drawn from existing Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) and how care providers can translate this intelligence into more personalised, preventative support for residents…
Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) have long been a part of the healthcare ecosystem. Since their introduction in the 1960s as simple warden-call systems, they have evolved to include environmental sensors, wearable pendants and GPS-enabled devices. Today, around two million people rely on Technology Enabled Care Systems (TECS) for 24-hour reassurance that they can receive help in an emergency. But, as our research found, traditional systems are mostly reactive, triggering alerts only once incidents such as falls have already occurred.
Working in partnership with leading health tech provider, Howz, Everon has recently launched its new Everon Care platform, alongside a white paper titled , “Independent Living, Intelligent Insight: The Role of Everon Care in the Next Generation of TECS”.
Through our new Everon Care service, we have reframed this narrative by showing how continuous data streams from digital pendants and wearable technology can provide insight into patterns of daily life, sleep and mobility, well before emergencies happen. This is made possible by machine learning and analytical tools that turn raw signals into meaningful indicators of emerging needs.
Why detecting change matters
Change is one of the most reliable indicators of an emerging health or wellbeing concern. In clinical and care settings, deviations from an individual’s usual patterns of activity, movement or rest are often the first visible sign that something is not quite right. The ability to detect and respond to change therefore, represents a crucial step towards truly preventative and person-centred care.
For example, disrupted sleep isn’t just a comfort issue. Our research shows it is strongly correlated with increased fall risk, reduced resilience and wider wellbeing deterioration.
Movements that deviate from a person’s typical pattern may signal pain, mobility issues or an emerging infection.
By recognising and understanding these meaningful shifts early, care teams and housing providers can respond before an incident occurs rather than being reactive. This means a chance to adjust support for the individual and contact a family member in good time.
Through our collaboration with Howz, we found that it is now technically and practically possible to detect early signs of change in health and wellbeing using devices already worn by many elderly adults in the UK, a game-changer for the care landscape.
Enhancing care through digital transformation
Falls remain one of the most significant and costly challenges facing the NHS and social care system, estimated to cost £3.4 billion each year, with over £2.3 billion attributed to hospital care and £1.1 billion to ongoing social care and rehabilitation.*
Disrupted sleep is a significant factor contributing to falls among older adults. Research indicates that older adults with poor sleep quality experience a 47% fall rate, compared to a 27% fall rate in those who have normal sleep quality (Finkelstein et al., 2013).
Additionally, individuals who sleep for less than five hours are 1.8 times more likely to fall (Krause et al., 2017), while those who sleep for more than nine hours have a 26% higher risk of falling (Finkelstein et al., 2013). This means that monitoring sleep quality could be the key to preventative measures in targeted care.
At the same time, national policy is shifting decisively towards prevention. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has made clear that future priorities for health and care are: community based, technology enabled and preventative.
The DHSC’s plan says the NHS feels fragmented because it is hospital-centred and disconnected from communities. It proposes a Neighbourhood Health Service to shift care closer to home. This would be local, digital by default and focused on prevention, with neighbourhood health centres as a one-stop hub for care. Funding would move towards out-of-hospital services, GP access would improve, and hospitals would be freed to focus on specialist and high-tech care.
As we undertake the final stages of the digital switchover due to complete in January 2027 it’s important to recognise that simply replacing systems isn’t sufficient. Digital systems provide enhanced capabilities that go beyond basic alarm handling, enabling proactive monitoring, data sharing and early intervention. Incorporating analytics into digital telecare, health and social care infrastructure allows health and care providers to future-proof investments, resulting in safer, more preventative and personalised services for individuals. This digital switchover presents a crucial opportunity for care providers to implement proactive analytics and align with future regulatory expectations.
A significant aspect of the Everon Care model is interoperability, which enables existing TECS equipment in care environments, individual homes, supported living and more to be upgraded rather than entirely replaced.
This approach protects previous investments and simplifies the commissioning process. By utilising current technologies, healthcare providers can collaborate effectively with housing, health and social care partners to develop flexible service pathways tailored to each individual’s needs. This strength-based approach promotes independence while ensuring their safety and wellbeing.
From insight to personalised care planning
By gathering analytics, care providers can build tailored care plans for each individual based on behaviour rather than assumptions, allowing them to adjust support based on real, ongoing data. For example, someone whose movement patterns suggest increased restlessness at night might benefit from adjusted activities earlier in the day or a review of their sleep environment.
Early intervention plays a crucial role in preventing downstream costs by allowing teams to act on timely indicators before minor changes escalate to overall wellbeing risks. This proactive approach also enhances resource allocation, enabling providers to devote more time to those who need it most, ultimately boosting both efficiency and outcomes.
For instance, nighttime restlessness may indicate advancing dementia, or alternatively, it could signal increasing levels of pain, which might warrant a medication review. Once a potential cause is identified, it’s essential to explore both physical and mental health concerns, as well as the living environment.
Lastly, data-driven insight provides a robust evidence base for care planning discussions with families, clinicians, or commissioning bodies, moving conversations from opinion to objective indicators.
Looking ahead
As technology continues to advance, the care industry has an unprecedented opportunity to transform an individual’s quality of life and it often starts with sleep. World Sleep Day reminds us that restful nights are not just a comfort – they are a crucial indicator of health, wellbeing, and resilience in older adults. By leveraging TECS and wearable technology, care providers can monitor sleep patterns alongside daily activity, spotting early signs of risk and taking proactive steps to intervene.
Recognising sleep as a vital health metric enables care teams to personalise support, prevent falls, and address emerging issues before they escalate. When combined with interoperable digital systems, predictive analytics and person-centred planning, sleep-focused insights help move care from reactive responses to proactive, preventative strategies that safeguard individuals’ independence and wellbeing.
Ultimately, embracing the lessons of World Sleep Day through technology is not just about better rest – it is about creating safer, more resilient, and truly personalised care environments.
To download a copy of the new report, please visit here.
