Falls Awareness Week: the power of tech

September 17th 2025

As we mark Falls Awareness Week, 15-19 September 2025, the Digital Care Hub is shining a spotlight on the potential of sensor technology to reduce falls, improve wellbeing, and better manage risk particularly for older people — whether in adult social care settings, domiciliary care, or at home.

Falls remain one of the most common causes of injury, hospitalisation and loss of independence in older adults. According to the AACE-BGS National Falls Response Governance Framework, around one in three people aged 65+, and half of those aged 80+, experience a fall each year. Falls cost the NHS over £2.3 billion annually, with much of the burden occurring in community and social care settings.

We believe that data, sensor and remote monitoring technology, and joined-up systems are key levers for reducing that burden – by helping to prevent falls, speeding up response, reducing harm from long lies, and promoting safer, calmer care environments.

Webinars – Technology in action

To advance this conversation, we are hosting a two-part mini-webinar series:

Wellbeing in Focus: Sensor Technology and the Care Journey
Tuesday 23rd September 2025, 14:00 (online)
This session explores the benefits of sensor-based technology from both care provider and resident perspectives. Speakers include Sensio, Lovett Care and Dormy Care, with an introduction from the National Care Forum.
Beyond Falls: How Sensor Tech is Unlocking Safer, Calmer Care
Wednesday 24th September 2025, 14:00 (online)
This session looks beyond basic fall prevention, exploring how sensors can also improve sleep, reduce anxiety and support earlier detection of risk. Introduced by Care England, the webinar will also feature Ally Cares who will share insights.

Both webinars are aimed at adult social care providers — managers, senior staff, IT leads and quality officers — but are also relevant to commissioners, digital leads and policymakers interested in proactive, data-driven approaches to safer care.

Policy context: supporting system change

The AACE-BGS National Falls Response Governance Framework sets out a system-wide approach to falls, emphasising prevention, community resilience, early assessment and avoiding unnecessary conveyance to hospital.

The framework highlights the importance of shared data, interoperability, timely response and proportionate care. These are areas where sensor technology can play a key role — supporting early detection, informing decisions and ensuring that responses match the level of risk.

As Digital Care Hub’s Katie Thorn says: “Falls prevention is not just about reacting to injuries: it’s about using technology intelligently, and data clearly, to anticipate risk, support early intervention, and enable calmer, safer care. When sensors and connected systems are used well, they become eyes and ears in places we can’t always see — helping care providers, families and older people themselves stay one step ahead of danger”.

Sensor technology – and the intelligent use of the data it generates – is transforming how we think about falls prevention and response. Rather than waiting for accidents to happen, sensors can quietly monitor movement, balance and behaviour, spotting subtle changes that may indicate an increased risk of falling. This allows care teams to step in early with adjustments to care plans, home environments or support levels. When falls do occur, sensor-based alert systems help ensure that residents are found quickly, reducing the risk of complications caused by long lies.

The impact of these tools is becoming clearer. Experience from providers using systems such as Ally’s Resident Monitor indicates that bedroom falls can be cut by more than 60%, hospital visits reduced by over half, residents’ sleep improved by 50%, and staff given back around 30% more time to care. Sensors are also helping people live more independently at home: in our latest case study, discreet monitoring provided reassurance for both 97-year-old Rosalie and her family, enabling timely responses without intruding on her daily life.

Crucially, the data collected through these systems does more than trigger alerts – it creates a rich picture of patterns and trends. Care providers can use this insight to refine risk assessments, adjust staffing, improve the environment and evidence the impact of their work to commissioners and regulators. In this way, sensor technology is not just a safety net; it is a tool for continuous learning and improvement across the whole care system.

National Care Association National Conference

Skills for Care Registered Manager webinar | Getting stronger – how digital can work for you