In the region of Lower Saxony, the facility Schloss Schliestedt for the elderly stands for professional and heartfelt care in old age. In addition to the geriatric psychiatric department, the fully inpatient facility now also stands out from other nursing homes through the implementation of technology-based mobility analyzes. Since the introduction of the Lindera App in March 2019, the nursing home has been using digital gait analysis for fall prevention.

The road from the first meeting to using the Lindera App at Schloss Schliestedt turned out to be straight. The facility is open to technological innovations in senior care: Inpatient nursing staff have been using digital solutions for the care and leisure activities of the 115 residents for two years already, e.g., to challenge them with individualized memory games and language exercises. “On our way to digitization, the innovative gait analysis created by Lindera complements our care service perfectly,” says Sabine Resch-Hoppstock, who has been heading the senior care facility for ten years. The qualified social worker, who can look back on more than 35 years of experience in working with youth and the elderly, relies specifically on an educational and interdisciplinary approach when managing the retirement home. “The senior citizens’ self-determination is the greatest asset – this is also our approach for care with the integration of the Lindera App.”

Stay fit in old age with Lindera

Formerly, the occupational therapists at Schloss Schliestedt carried out geriatric assessments of the gait pattern analogously and with their visual judgement. The Lindera Mobility Analysis complements the specialist knowledge of the nursing staff and gives them a much more precise picture. Using a 30 to 40-second video with a smartphone camera that records the senior citizen’s gait behavior and a short psychosocial questionnaire, the app uses artificial intelligence to provide a detailed analysis and an individual catalog of measures to prevent falls. “We discuss the results of the survey in a personal consult with the senior citizen, research the causes, and, based on the recommendations, initiate the necessary measures for fall prevention,” says Ina Halbe, occupational therapist in the “Langhaus” living quarters of the retirement home. To prevent falls, the facility provides, e.g., exercises for muscle development and balance training “Fit for 100”, based on a program from the Cologne Sports University, the right clothing,

as well as the correct medication. Currently, 5 of the 45 nursing staff at Schloss Schliestedt have carried out the Lindera Mobility Analysis. They document the findings and the measures taken in order to share them with the responsible nursing staff and to benefit from the know-how.

Queueing for the Lindera Mobility Analysis

The response from the residents, nursing staff, and the management is a confirmation of the tech-based solution in care. “The elderly residents are really excited about the innovative technology,” says Ina Halbe, who has been part of the Schloss Schliestedt team for 27 years. They were not scared of the contact with video analysis via a smartphone. “On the one hand, the residents trust our assessment as nursing staff, on the other hand, they are really interested and curios about the app. The senior citizens are queuing to test the Mobility Analysis themselves.”

Compared to traditional geriatric assessments, the Lindera digital gait behavior analysis saves the nursing staff time. For one thing, the facility thereby saves money. What’s more, Schloss Schliestedt is positioning itself in the region as a pioneer in using technological solutions in senior care. “Using the Lindera Mobility Analysis increases the quality of our care and thus creates a clear competitive advantage,” says Residence Manager Sabine Resch-Hoppstock.

About the facility

The senior care facility Schloss Schliestedt bei Schöppenstedt south of Braunschweig in Lower Saxony offers space for 115 senior citizens in a total of three living quarters, divided into five buildings. Located in an 8.9 hectare park, the facility offers people from all different care levels, age ranges, and those in need of care, professional and affectionate care and support.