Reducing frequent 911 fall calls for people with memory or thinking problems
Official title: Transformative Solutions for Reducing Frequent 911 Fall Calls in the Homes of Patients with Cognitive Impairments
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11177851 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will build a tool that uses 911 call details to find older adults with memory problems who are likely to have repeat falls and connect them to help that may prevent future falls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $241,558 |
| NIH project number | 5K76AG068435-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177851 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with cognitive impairment (memory or thinking problems) who have had a recent 911 fall call or lift-assist, and their caregivers, are the most likely candidates to benefit or participate.
✕Less likely to help
Younger people, those without falls, or those without cognitive impairment are unlikely to benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
This project looks at 911 fall calls and related information to find people at high risk of falling again, especially those with memory or thinking problems. Researchers will combine factors about frailty, thinking, and the home environment (called FaCE) and use machine learning to predict who is most likely to use 911 for falls. The team will also talk with patients, caregivers, and emergency responders to learn what would help or block using this approach in real life. The goal is a practical, scalable way to trigger prevention services after a non-injurious fall.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help catch people at high risk earlier and connect them to services that reduce repeat falls and unnecessary emergency responses.
How similar studies have gone: Some fall-prevention programs have reduced falls, but using 911 call data combined with frailty, cognition, and home environment in a prediction tool is a newer idea with limited prior testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Quatman, Carmen — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Quatman, Carmen
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.