APTQI Recognizes Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Urges Congress to Pass SAFE Act to Help Older Americans Remain Safe and Independent
Washington, DC – Today, the Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI) recognized the start of Falls Prevention Awareness Week by highlighting the devastating impact falls can have on older adults nationwide while raising awareness of the fact that many falls are entirely preventable. APTQI is urging Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that would give Medicare beneficiaries greater access to physical therapist-provided falls risk assessments.
Falls are a significant and growing public health challenge, accounting for more than 3 million annual hospital visits nationwide, with fall-related costs projected to exceed $100 billion by 2030. But the consequences extend far beyond the individual event. Fall-related injuries often lead to emergency department visits, hospitalizations, rehabilitation, and a need for long-term care, placing additional pressure on families and an already strained healthcare system.
Physical therapists are uniquely qualified and skilled at addressing fall risk through comprehensive assessments and interventions targeting strength, balance, mobility, home interventions, and other modifiable risk factors. Yet many older adults do not receive a falls risk assessment from a physical therapist for prevention and to improve overall wellbeing.
The Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act (S. 2612/H.R. 1171) would provide Medicare beneficiaries with an annual, no-cost falls risk assessment by a physical or occupational therapist – the falls prevention experts. If passed, the bipartisan legislation—introduced by Representatives Carol Miller (WV-01) and Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) in the U.S. House and Senator Jim Justice (WV) in the U.S. Senate—would help identify fall risks earlier and connect older adults with interventions earlier to keep them safe, mobile, and independent.
“Falls are not an inevitable part of aging, but all too often, the healthcare system waits until after someone has been seriously injured to address the factors putting them at risk,” said Nikesh Patel, PT, Executive Director of APTQI. “The SAFE Act takes a proactive approach to this problem by making falls risk assessments more accessible to Medicare beneficiaries and empowering physical and occupational therapists to identify risks before they become emergencies.”
Early intervention can make a meaningful difference, and the SAFE Act would help ensure more seniors can access the care and expertise of a physical therapist before a fall occurs. During Falls Prevention Awareness Week, APTQI is encouraging lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and patients to elevate the importance of falls education and support policies that make prevention services more accessible.
To learn more about the SAFE Act, click here.