With Falls Prevention Awareness Week coming up later this month, it’s appropriate timing that the state Legislature is considering setting up and funding a pilot program to help reduce falls among senior Medicaid recipients.
As reported by NJ Spotlight, legislation in the works calls for the state to educate Medicaid recipients in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, their family members, caregivers and others about potential dangers and proven fall-prevention strategies.
The $11.7 million pilot program is to be modeled on successful programs in other states where the number of falls and deaths among seniors dropped after their implementation.
Reducing falls will also reduce costs by keeping seniors out of the ER and OR.
We encourage the Legislature and the governor to move quickly to get this plan in the works.
Among the ways to prevent falls is exercise, which keeps and increases muscle tone, bone strength, flexibility and balance. “Use it or lose it,’’ as signs in physical therapists’ offices note.
With that in mind, we’d also like to see the state work on requiring private insurers to cut the co-pay on physical therapy.
How many falls would be prevented – and how much would seniors’ quality of life improve – if the sometimes $25, $35 or more co-pays didn’t scare off seniors, especially when the doctor is suggesting a course of physical therapy three days a week for six weeks?
Physical therapy isn’t a one-time fix. It needs to be maintained and is much more effective for the elderly when a trained therapist is overseeing the patient as opposed to when the patients and – if they’re lucky -- their families alone work to follow the drawings and instructions given in a packet.
Here are other tips from the state Division of Aging:
- Ask your health care provider for a falls assessment.
- Get your vision and hearing checked.
- Get your feet checked yearly.
- Review medications with your doctor or pharmacist to be sure there aren’t interactions that could affect balance; take medications as prescribed.
- Keep your home safe. Remove tripping hazards; increase lighting inside and out; and install handrails and grab bars where needed.
- Use assistive devices, like walkers, as needed.
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 22-28. Call 1-877-222-3737 or go to aging.nj.gov for more information.
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