Why Fall Detection Is Even More Crucial on Dark Nights

Falls are always a concern for the elderly, as experts in ageing know well. But the risks associated with falls can rise at certain times, too.

One obvious example is night-time. Any list of steps to fall-proof your home will mention the importance of good lighting. Without light, there’s always a higher chance that seniors with weakening eyesight will fall.

This risk only increases during the winter when night comes earlier, lasts longer and may bring frost and ice with it.

Fortunately, there is a crucial measure that can help keep older people safe on dark nights. It’s called fall detection, and in this post we’ll discuss exactly why it’s extra important on dark nights.

What is fall detection?

Fall detection is a function you’ll find in a personal alarm for the elderly. This alarm might look like a pendant or a smartwatch, but either way, fall detection works the same.

An alarm with fall detection contains sensors that help it judge whether its wearer has fallen. If the alarm believes a fall has occurred, it will send out an alert immediately.

What’s critical here is that the alarm doesn’t need any human input to do this. It uses its algorithm to decide whether a fall has happened, and if it decides there was a fall, it calls for help all on its own.

That’s essential in situations where the elderly person is unconscious or suffering with dementia and therefore unable to seek help on their own.

Why fall detection is important on dark nights

Of course, elderly people and their loved ones can and should take other actions to reduce their risk of falls at night – like using a home safety checklist or seeking a falls risk assessment if they’re worried.

But there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of falls at night. That’s where the alarm with fall detection comes in. It helps prevent one of the worst outcomes of falls – a situation where the elderly person has to lie on the floor for an hour or more, hoping that help will come.

This is called a ‘long lie,’ and it can have serious, long-term impacts on elderly people.

What makes dark nights especially risky for seniors?

We’ve already discussed some of the reasons why night-time is a more dangerous time for falls in older people. But there are a few more aspects to consider that make fall detection particularly useful.

Higher chance of falling due to elderly eyesight

Yes, it’s true that it’s difficult to see in the dark – even more so for older people who are more likely to have a vision impairment.

But actually, poor night vision is generally a problem for seniors, even those who don’t have a vision disability.

This is due to several age-related changes in the eye, including:

• A slower response to different lighting levels, such as when you switch a light on or off
• Fewer cells called “rods” which allow night vision

In short, even if a senior can see well on an eye chart in an optometrist’s office, they might still have significant trouble perceiving their surroundings in the dark.

Inability to get up or get help in the dark

Sometimes, older people think they might not need a personal alarm because they’ll use a phone to get help. However, a phone may not be within reach of a person who’s been injured in their fall or who simply can’t get up from the floor.

Darkness worsens this issue because the senior who has fallen might not even know where their phone is. Or an older person who needs help because of a medical emergency might not be able to locate their phone within their short time of remaining conscious.

Even getting up from the floor can be more challenging in the dark when you can’t see exactly what’s around you.

Dangers of hypothermia

Elderly people are more vulnerable to changes in temperature – their bodies can’t manage their responses to heat or cold well.

Unfortunately, this means that when a senior has fallen and can’t stand up again, a major threat to their health is hypothermia. Since we know temperatures tend to be lower at night, the risk of hypothermia is higher during the dark hours.

Therefore, it’s even more urgent for a fallen older person to get help fast, before they become dangerously cold.

Problems with dementia and the dark

Most people familiar with dementia know that dementia sufferers can experience ‘sundowning’ – heightened agitation or confusion that happens around sunset and at night.

Elderly people with dementia are already at increased risk of falls for many reasons. One is that they simply struggle to perceive and understand their surroundings. For example, they may think that a dark rug on the floor is actually a hole.

But when sundowning occurs, the dangers increase if a distressed senior with dementia has the urge to get up, move around or wander through a home environment they can’t safely navigate. They may do these things unexpectedly or while a carer is sleeping. The result can be a dangerous fall that leads to a ‘long lie.’

How SureSafe offers peace of mind to elderly people at night

Keeping a senior safe and healthy is all about understanding risks – what raises them and how to reduce them.

As you can see, a lot of risks increase at night to make this a dangerous time for elderly people. Accordingly, there’s a need for action to counteract these risks – including the use of a personal alarm with fall detection. Although the threat of falls at night is real, an alarm with fall detection can offer invaluable peace of mind to both older people and their families.

Of course, no fall detection device can detect 100% of falls. That’s why it’s best to also get an alarm that also has a one-touch SOS button to serve as a backup way of getting help.

SureSafe is a UK leader in providing exactly this type of personal alarm. We make sure all our alarms are effective and easy to use – and our glowing reviews speak to our success over the years. In fact, our customers often speak of the peace of mind that our alarms offer.

If you’re concerned about the dangers of dark nights to yourself or an elderly loved one, why not get in touch with us? Just ring our expert team on 0808 189 1671, and we’ll be happy to discuss what type of alarm might be right for you. Alternatively, you can use our live chat or request a call back.