CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Edison Nation Medical, the premier healthcare innovation marketplace, today announced a worldwide search for senior care product innovations that help prevent injuries in bathrooms. The most promising ideas uncovered during the three-month-long search will be presented to major medical manufacturing partners for potential commercialization on a global scale. Invention ideas can be submitted confidentially through a secure portal at www.EdisonNationMedical.com/BathSafety now through Sept. 24, 2015.

The objective of the Bathroom Safety Innovation Search is to uncover ideas for products, assistive devices, technologies and/or applications that aid in preventing injuries while allowing the burgeoning senior population in remaining mobile, safe and independent.

Every year, about 235,000 people over age 15 visit emergency rooms because of injuries suffered in the bathroom, with almost 14 percent hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the bulk of these injuries happening to those over the age of 65. More than a third of the injuries occur while bathing or showering, and another 14 percent happen while using the toilet. Injuries increase with age, the research found. People 85 years and older suffer more than half of their injuries near the toilet, primarily while sitting down or getting up, or through their attempting to use towel bars, sink tops or other objects to support balance. Bathtubs are also difficult to step over, and sliding shower doors can move unexpectedly when they enter and exit the bathtub. 

For seniors, a fall can have disabling or even fatal consequences. And a new study finds that the rate of older people who suffer a fall is actually on the rise.

A research team led by Dr. Christine Cigolle, of the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, tracked national data from adults aged 65 and older. They found that the number of older adults with at least one self-reported fall in the past two years rose from about 28 percent in 1998 to about 36 percent in 2010. While the reasons for the increase is complicated, according to Cigolle's team, falling remains the most common cause of injury among older Americans, and it's believed that about one-third of seniors will suffer a fall each year.

"Bathrooms are one of the most dangerous room in the house for seniors, given the combination of maneuvering in tight spaces, the presence of water and soap, and the need for individuals with poor muscle strength and balance to lift and lower themselves into tubs or the toilet," said Robert Grajewski, president Edison Nation Medical. "We believe there's a huge opportunity to overcome some of these inherent risk via innovative product design and, quite likely, seniors and caregivers themselves have novel ideas that Edison Nation Medical can help further develop and commercialize, which is why we're excited to launch this new search." 

Born out of collaboration between consumer product development and open innovation firm, Edison Nation, LLC and Carolinas HealthCare System, one of the largest public health systems in the U.S., Edison Nation Medical has deep expertise across the entire innovation lifecycle: gathering, evaluating, validating, designing/prototyping, and commercializing healthcare ideas.  All ideas submitted to the search will be vetted through a confidential, proprietary eight-stage process led by Edison Nation Medical's team of medical, technical, intellectual property and market-commercialization experts.

The end goal of this search is for Edison Nation Medical to successfully commercialize each qualified invention on behalf of the inventor via licensing to a larger global manufacturing partner or via company incubation. When successful, Edison Nation Medical shares licensing royalties and revenues with the inventor. The search is open to the public, and individual inventors,  small businesses, and technology transfer offices worldwide are invited to submit inventions through Thursday, September 24, 2015.

To submit your idea or to obtain more information about the search, visit  www.EdisonNationMedical.com/BathSafety.

About Edison Nation Medical
Edison Nation Medical is a healthcare innovation marketplace with deep expertise in open innovation, product development, and medicine. We provide a clear and easy pathway via our online portal through which anyone — physicians, nurses, entrepreneurs, even patients and caregivers — can submit a medical invention idea for full evaluation and potential commercialization. Our team of intellectual property, medical, technical and business development experts shepherd the most promising ideas through the myriad of barriers that often derail great inventions from coming to life (at no cost to your inventors!) Our end goal is to commercialize every qualified product invention submitted to us.  When we are successful, we share licensing royalties and revenues with the inventor.

Edison Nation Medical innovation headquarters is in Charlotte, NC with satellite offices in San Francisco and New York City. For more information, please visit www.EdisonNationMedical.com or find Edison Nation Medical on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Edison Nation Medical

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