Are you or a family member at risk of falling? Have you required physical therapy to help you gain strength and balance to prevent a dangerous fall?

If so, you are like the more than 14 million, or 1 in 4 older adults, in America who fall every year. In fact, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. 

Physical therapy helps older Americans avoid falls, reduce pain, and improve their overall wellbeing and quality of life. Data show physical therapy reduces emergency room and hospital visits among patients. It also offers a safe alternative to opioid use for pain management. 

The solution is simple: increase access to falls risk assessments for older Americans!

Bipartisan lawmakers Carol Miller (R-WV) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) have reintroduced the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1171) in the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed, the bill would allow falls experts – physical and occupational therapists – to complete a falls assessment on patients as part of their Medicare annual wellness visit and initial preventive physical exam – at no cost to the patient.

Please ask your lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor the SAFE Act (H.R. 1171). Let them know what patients value care that prevents falls, reduces healthcare costs, and enables greater independence for older Americans.

Use the box to the right to send your letter now.