Preventing Falls Using
Falls are the leading cause of injury for people over age 65, which can seriously degrade health and shorten life spans. Nearly 3 million seniors are treated annually for falls. Many falls happen at night, which can be prevented, in part, through lighting improvements. Many falls also occur due to weakness caused by illness, which can be detected, in part, through improved monitoring.
We are the first facility in the United States to pilot test Aladin, a new technology that provides in-home lighting and monitoring. Aladin is a device that illuminates progressively when movement is detected. Further, it monitors sleep patterns and detects signs of fatigue, which may indicate illness. While fall prevention is the goal, Aladin also functions as an alert system, immediately notifying caregivers if a fall is detected to ensure immediate response.
Based on system capabilities, we expect residents with this technology to:
Exploring the Potential of
SEE THE ROBOT IN TIME MAGAZINE
Robots are poised to dramatically improve quality of life for older adults. From easing feelings of loneliness to providing everyday support, robots are increasingly researched and developed as an important new technology to help older people.
We partnered with Trinity College, a top-ranking, research-intensive university in Dublin, Ireland, on a research study to determine the impact and benefits of interactive robots on life plan communities. Based on the conclusions of that research, we are exploring ways to bring customized robot companions to our community.
Potential benefits of robot companions may include:
Maintaining Health and Wellness through
Older people need reliable access to top-quality medical care to protect their health and well-being. But for many older people, it is logistically challenging, emotionally stressful, and physically dangerous to travel to appointments. Physical and cognitive decline, the threat of falls, and the risk of virus exposure make on-site visits impossible or impractical.
We are investing in robust tele-health programs so that people can see top-quality doctors from the comfort of home, including:
Wide-ranging benefits from bringing tele-health programs to our community include:
Preventing Infection through
Because of COVID-19, health screenings are the new norm for entering many types of buildings. For communities like ours, this is the first line of defense for keeping our campus infection-free. Proper screening is essential to determining if people have a temperature, symptoms of illness, or known exposure to sick people.
Because traditional paper and pen screening is cumbersome, time-consuming, and not fully effective, we are implementing a new Health Entry Screening Program. Using an advanced automated kiosk with facial recognition and biometric capabilities, our program will make it safer for the people living, working, and visiting our community.
Benefits of our new Health Entry Screening Program include:
Preventing Infection through
Many people have active cases of COVID-19 but never display symptoms. Unknowingly, they spread the virus to others. Through testing, communities like ours can detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most testing is accomplished through outside labs, but turnaround time to process tests can approach a full week.
Because on-the-spot results are often needed to contain the spread of illness, we built an in-house lab to deliver rapid results.
While not a substitute for outside testing, our in-house lab is a critical infection control tool, offering the following benefits:
Preventing Infection through
Living areas must be properly cleaned and disinfected to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, influenza, and other illnesses. Dangerous germs can remain on surfaces for several days. Keeping our community clean is critical, but manual cleaning methods can be inefficient and ineffective.
To prevent the spread of illness, we are investing in a robotic cleaning program to ensure our community is properly disinfected. It is an advanced, tech-savvy system that uses pulsed Ultraviolet C (UVC) light to disinfect surfaces in the home and community living spaces.
Our advanced sanitation program will keep people healthier through the following benefits:
Improving Mobility and Strength through
Many older adults suffer from lower body weakness, improper balance, and unsteady gait, which limits mobility, decreases activity levels, reduces independence, and increases the risk of an accidental fall.
In February 2018, we implemented an enhanced physical therapy approach that uses a robotic exoskeleton, the EksoGT™. This therapy improves gait, balance, mobility, and muscle strength better than traditional therapy, according to our preliminary data. Examples of results to date on a small sample of patients include:
We expect prolonged and expanded use to offer dramatic potential across the physical, emotional, and financial spectrum. With increased gait, balance, mobility, and muscle strength, older adults can:
Maintaining Health and Wellness through
Virtual and augmented reality technologies offer enormous potential to improve health and wellness for older people. Initially used for entertainment and gaming, medical VR/AR can be used to increase social engagement, reduce anxiety, stimulate memory, manage pain, and improve mobility. And all from the comfort of one’s home.
We are working to bring this cutting-edge technology to our community. Medical VR/AR is particularly critical when COVID, weather, or other conditions make on-site medical appointments impractical or impossible. Applications we are exploring include:
Medical VR/AR is a safe, effective, drug-free therapy that can easily be done at home with the potential to:
Over 200 guests attended our 2019 Annual Gala. The critical proceeds raised help fund our mission and programs, which include funding for the Financial Assistance Fund and investment in innovative technologies to improve health and wellness for all older Americans.
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Established in 1996, members of the General Maxwell D. and Lydia Taylor Society are individuals and couples who demonstrate their commitment to our mission with a gift of $50,000 or more to the ADF (achieved over five years).
This prestigious society recognizes any supporter who has pledged or made a gift to the ADF via a bequest or planned gift. Members of the Rosamond Davis Society have expressed their commitment to the ADF through a very special and important form of financial support.
Corporate partners from the military, health, senior care, and other industries have a crucial role to play and offer distinct value. Trusted leaders–including AM General, Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Calibre, The McKeon Group, and Api Group—are but a few of our many current partners. Your partnership will:
Offer insights and subject matter expertise into innovations and trends in Older Adult care.
Lend marketing, business, and technology expertise and support on a pro bono basis.
Provide financial support to ensure worthwhile projects and programs receive adequate funding.
Deliver in-kind support or donate products, including private-labeled goods.Our Government partners lend credibility to study results and promote nationwide dissemination of best practices and proven approaches. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is among the nearby government entities with whom we have begun pursuing partnerships. Your agency’s partnership will:
Offer ideas, advice, and counsel on new and promising approaches to healthy aging.
Provide financial support through grants.
Lend credibility to study results and promote nationwide dissemination of best practices and proven approaches.Academic partners from universities, both local and beyond, are critical to mission success. George Washington University, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, and Trinity University (Dublin, Ireland) are among the major academic partners contributing invaluable expertise. Your academic partnership will:
Offer ideas, advice, and counsel on new and promising approaches to healthy aging.
Provide program development and implementation support, including data collection and analysis.
Design and conduct formal research projects to be carried out at Knollwood and publish results so that transformational results are shared with others.
Bring skill and expertise to Knollwood through resident and student rotations.Many non-profits and individuals are uniquely positioned to provide financial and in-kind support, ensuring worthwhile projects are adequately funded. Army Emergency Relief and the Gia Maione Prima Foundation are among the organizations supporting our mission. Your partnership will:
Provide critical resources to support the research, application, and sharing of promising approaches to healthy aging.Ensure retired veterans and family members with insufficient resources have the opportunity to age with dignity in a caring community.Support Knollwood and its residents, ensuring the sustainability of a safe, welcoming community with quality health and wellness programming.Content that accompanies
The Camaraderie Classic Golf Tournament is an annual event held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia that raises awareness and generates support for veterans in need of secure, safe housing and specialized health services.Last year’s event raised $60,000. Please check back in April 2019 to register online for our May 2019 tournament.
