Movement technology for home rehabilitation

Summary

People can become frail and struggle to move as well as they used to as they get older. Movement is vital for maintaining independence while frailty can lead to a higher risk of injuries and slower recovery if injuries occur.

Rehabilitation, currently costing the NHS around £5.8 billion annually, uses physical and occupational therapy and has been proven to work to reduce frailty. We aim to improve rehabilitation services by using technology, especially in places where services are difficult to access. This could help to improve patients’ quality of life and reduce pressures on the NHS.

What are we doing?

We aim to build a picture of how technology could help improve access to rehabilitation services. Researchers are consulting with patients and healthcare professionals and investigating the possibilities of using wearable technology to improve access, participation and success rates.

How are we doing it?

This project is a collaborative and consultative process between researchers, patients and industry experts. Researchers will be having conversations with people who’ve experienced frailty to learn what they need for successful rehabilitation.

This form of research involves asking people about their preferences and what kind of technology they’d be comfortable using. Researchers will also test different methods of providing rehabilitation at home, for example using special technology to help people move safely when they do exercises. Alongside this, international experts will provide insight into technology, exercise and rehabilitation to inform recommendations for public health.

What happens next?

After the project ends, researchers will use the findings to create a practical tool for rehabilitation at home. This tool will be shared with healthcare professionals and could be used widely. Hopefully, findings will inspire more technological advancements to help people build strength and live independently for longer.