title: Effectiveness of light paths coupled with personal emergency response systems in preventing functional decline among the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The elderly population is at high risk of functional decline, which will induce significant costs due to long-term care. Dependency could be delayed by preventing one of its major determinants: falls. Light paths coupled with personal emergency response systems could prevent the functional decline through fall prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of light paths coupled with personal emergency response systems on the functional decline in an elderly population living at home. It is a secondary analysis on data from a previous cohort. In all, 190 older adults (aged 65 years or more) living at home participated. Participants in the exposed group were equipped with home-based technologies: light paths coupled with personal emergency response systems. The participants' functional status was assessed using the Functional Autonomy Measurement System scale at baseline (T0) and at the end of the study (T12-month). Baseline characteristics were evaluated by a comprehensive geriatric assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 1 year, 43% of the unexposed group had functional decline versus 16% of the exposed group. Light paths coupled with personal emergency response systems were significantly associated with a decrease in the functional decline (Δ Functional Autonomy Measurement System ⩾ 5) at home (odds ratio = 0.24, 95% confidence interval (0.11-0.54), p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that light paths coupled with personal emergency response systems prevent the functional decline over 12 months. This result may encourage the prescription and use of home-based technologies to postpone dependency and institutionalization, but they need a larger cost-effectiveness study to demonstrate the efficiency of these technologies.
authors.affiliation: EA 6310 HAVAE, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Florent
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lachal
authors.affiliation: EA 6310 HAVAE, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France; Service de Médecine Interne Gériatrique, Pôle Clinique Médicale et Gérontologie Clinique, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Achille Edem
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Tchalla
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne Gériatrique, Pôle Clinique Médicale et Gérontologie Clinique, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Noëlle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cardinaud
authors.affiliation: EA 6310 HAVAE, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France; Service de Médecine Interne Gériatrique, Pôle Clinique Médicale et Gérontologie Clinique, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saulnier
authors.affiliation: EA 6310 HAVAE, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nessighaoui
authors.affiliation: EA 6310 HAVAE, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France; Service de Médecine Interne Gériatrique, Pôle Clinique Médicale et Gérontologie Clinique, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laubarie-Mouret
authors.affiliation: EA 6310 HAVAE, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France; Service de Médecine Interne Gériatrique, Pôle Clinique Médicale et Gérontologie Clinique, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dantoine
keywords: Light paths; elderly; functional decline; personal emergency response systems