Assessment of physical function using the developed device - Evaluations of the body function of the first evaluation device and prevention of bedsore using the cushion developed

Abstract

Introduction: The population rate of the elderly is steadily increasing in Japan, where 28.7% of the population represents a super-aging society. The population of some regions will decrease by 40% within the next 20 years, and the youth population will also decrease. Because the population composition is expected to remain the same for some time, there is an urgent need to develop and apply advanced technology in taking care of the elderly. Senior citizens tend to become bedridden, whether at home or in facilities and hence, are more prone to bedsores. Bedsores are caused by increased forces applied to the sacrum and other protruding bones, and they can be mitigated by dispersing the pressure applied to these areas. The aim of this study is to develop a pressure-dispersing cushion and verify the effects of the pressure-dispersing cushion on the reduction of bedsores.