Falls are the number one cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries in seniors aged 65 and older. A single fall can completely change a senior’s health and financial future. Many families don’t realize how expensive that risk can become until after an emergency has already happened. Often, it looks like an extended hospital stay, rehabilitation, mobility equipment, and home modifications. The costs can quickly stack up to thousands.
But there are programs like CAPABLE that combine nurses, occupational therapists, and handyman services to help older adults stay safely in their homes longer. Now, Medicare is expanding its focus on preventive care and home-based services and encouraging more seniors to ask about fall prevention, in-home assessments, and safety planning during annual wellness visits and home health care evaluations. Best of all, it’s covered for recipients, but many seniors are still confused as to what it looks like. Here’s what you need to know.
