December 19, 2023 (Markham, ON) – Each year in Canada, up to one third of seniors are at risk of falling due to physiological factors associated with aging. Once a fall has occurred, there is very limited traditional, in-person rehabilitation programs for seniors with reduced mobility, and especially for those living in rural areas. To address this issue, OBIO® has partnered with Phyxable and Right at Home Canada in a collaborative effort to provide equitable access to effective falls prevention. Through OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), Phyxable and Right at Home Canada have revolutionized falls prevention rehabilitation with AgeWell, a digitally guided exercise program.
"Following a successful evaluation of AgeWell, Phyxable is thrilled to see the positive impact our digitally guided falls prevention exercise program has had on the lives of community-dwelling Canadian seniors. The collaboration with Right at Home Canada and the support from OBIO® has allowed us to address a critical need for accessible and effective falls prevention rehabilitation. The results of the study demonstrate not only significant improvements in strength and balance, but also a high level of satisfaction among participants,” said Dr. Jim Feng, CEO of Phyxable. “We are committed to continuing our mission of transforming healthcare and empowering individuals to take charge of their well-being from the comfort of their homes. We extend our sincere gratitude to OBIO® for their unwavering commitment to supporting the commercialization of Ontario-made biosciences companies like Phyxable."
The AgeWell program, delivered through the Phyxable app, combines live video-based care sessions with licensed healthcare providers and self-paced exercises. Accessible from any internet-connected device, the exercises cater to individual preferences, enabling seniors to enhance their lower extremity strength and balance.
“It was a great experience collaborating with Phyxable and creating the Fall Prevention Program. Our community clients thoroughly enjoyed the support and expertise from our collaboration with Phyxable and OBIO® ,” said Sharlene Hogeterp Louden, Registered Kinesiologist at Right at Home Canada. “The feedback from the users was very positive and they all improved their knowledge of fall prevention - to be proactive instead of reactive.”
“Phyxable partnered with Right at Home Canada to address the high incidence of falls among community-dwelling seniors. We created an engaging and dynamic falls prevention program which included twenty-five sessions of progressive strength and balance exercises, as well as six live virtual coaching calls with registered healthcare providers. Clients successfully adopted this digitally guided program and reported a high level of satisfaction with the hybrid model of virtual coaching and in-home assistance from Right at Home Canada caregivers,” said Anna Michalski, Registered Physiotherapist. “We were able to objectively measure balance, leg power, and fear of falling at the start and end of the program and are very excited to report improvements across all metrics. We hope the Falls Prevention Program empowers seniors to improve their mobility and allows them to maintain a high level of independence in their homes.”
This EAHN™ evaluation study revealed positive changes in key health measures in participants following the program:
The 30-second chair stand test showed an improvement of approximately 11.52%
Handgrip strength increased by about 7.24%
The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) score decreased by roughly 4.85%
Average balance scores increased by around 1.40%
Participants gave a high rating of 9/10, indicating the effectiveness of the program and their satisfaction with it.
Furthermore, feedback from app users indicated a high level of satisfaction with the app:
Users found the Phyxable app easy to follow (89%),
Users rated the quality of the video as good or very good (89%)
Users were satisfied with the length of the sessions (84%)
Most importantly, all app users felt comfortable with the virtual coaching calls, valued the presence of a caregiver to set up the program and would recommend the program to others.
The data from this study strongly supports the effectiveness of the falls prevention exercise program in improving strength, balance and reducing the perception of falls risk among community-dwelling Canadian seniors. The high satisfaction levels and positive outcomes indicate the successful adoption of this innovative approach, marking a significant stride in advancing senior community-based healthcare and well-being.
“OBIO® is proud to be partnered with Phyxable and Right at Home Canada to address the issue of falls prevention for seniors in the community,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “The results of the AgeWell app’s evaluation reflect the profound impact that simple, easy-to-use technology can have on the lives of seniors. We are eager to continue supporting Phyxable in the next steps of procurement and wider adoption of their product across Canada’s healthcare systems.”
About OBIO®
OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.
For more information, please visit OBIO.ca or contact Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption, OBIO®.
About Phyxable
Phyxable is a pioneering virtual rehabilitation platform committed to transforming the healthcare landscape. Born and bred in Markham, Ontario, Phyxable combines telemedicine, machine vision, and video content to redefine how physical pain and injury are managed and prevented. Our mission is to empower individuals to receive high-quality care from the comfort of their homes, ensuring accessibility and convenience for all. With virtual 1-on-1 video calls, asynchronous chat systems, self-help exercise prescriptions, and augmented reality motion detection, Phyxable is at the forefront of innovative healthcare solutions.
For more information, please visit Phyxable's website or contact Jeannie Allen, Patient Success Advisor, Phyxable.
About Right at Home Canada
Right at Home is one of the largest providers of in-home supportive care services, staffing and employer solutions, globally. With over 600 Care Offices in 8 countries around the world, and 55 offices in Canada, they are a trusted resource for tens of thousands of families, clients, residential living organizations, employers and government agencies in the delivery of a wide variety of highly personalized, quality suppor
For more information, please visit Right at Home's website or contact Rica Esguerra, National Director of Community Engagement, Right at Home Canada