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AARP is endorsing bipartisan legislation designed to prevent a long-standing and widespread problem among Americans age 65 and older: falls.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 14 million adults aged 65 and older – or 1 in 4 – report a decline each year. These falls result in roughly nine million injuries, three million emergency room visits and one million hospital admissions every year.
These falls can be fatal: According to CDC data, they are the leading cause of death in adults age 65 and older. In 2023, more than 40,000 elderly people would die from falls. In addition, the death rate from falls has increased, by 41 percent between 2012 and 2021. Preliminary data shows that this upward trend has continued since then.
“While falls among older adults are common, costly and dangerous, they are also preventable,” Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president for government affairs, wrote in an Oct. 31 letter endorsing the legislation.
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The Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act, introduced in September by U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Mike Rounds (R.S.D.), would establish a National Advisory Committee on Fall Prevention consisting of representatives from federal and state government agencies, health care providers, researchers , health care providers, housing assistance professionals, disability service providers, and others.
The committee would develop a National Falls Prevention Plan to assess current fall prevention initiatives and recommend new policies and programs to address the problem. The committee would also conduct research into the most common household accidents and cost-effective ways to prevent them.
A proposal to reimburse home upgrades
The proposed law would also provide the opportunity to test a pilot program Medicare coverage or reimbursement for home modifications, which the federal insurance program does not currently provide. For example, the pilot can assess whether reimbursement for handles or stair railings reduces the number of falls in households.
“We all know the saying, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and preventive care is a win-win for patients, families and Maine taxpayers,” co-sponsor King said in a September statement.
Maine leads the nation with the highest share of adults age 65 and older and ranks eighth in the nation per capita in deaths from falls.
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“A fall in a shower or bathtub can result in hospitalization and medical bills that can run into the thousands of dollars,” King added, “while an investment in a grab bar would cost a few hundred dollars.”
AARP’s approval is one of many ways we are fighting to help older Americans age safely at home. In September, we passed another bipartisan bill designed to better protect older veterans from falls. More broadly, this year we have supported a series of legislative proposals that support an aging population.
Read our full letter to King and Rounds. Also check out our Smart Guide to Aging in Place and our Care at Home page for tips on how to make your home safer and more comfortable as you age.