Is there help making my house safe after a fall?

What this means

• The evaluation matters more than the hardware. A therapist walks through your home and names the exact three or four changes that would have prevented the fall.
• Medicare pays for the therapy visit and for durable medical equipment like a walker, but it does not pay for grab bars or ramps. Those come from aging programs, Medicaid waivers, or volunteer repair groups.
• A first fall is the strongest warning sign of a second one, so acting within a few weeks matters more than doing everything at once.

What to do first

1. Call your doctor and ask for a referral for an occupational therapy home safety evaluation. Say that you fell and give the date.
2. Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 and ask about home modification and a falls prevention program in your county.
3. Ask about a Medicaid home and community based services waiver if you have Medicaid, since waivers commonly pay for grab bars, ramps, and bathroom changes.
4. Contact Rebuilding Together for volunteer installation of grab bars and railings.

What you'll need

• The date and circumstances of the fall, written down
• Your Medicare and Medicaid cards
• A list of your medications, since several medicines together raise fall risk
• Photographs of the trouble spots — steps, tub, hallway

Where to go

• Your doctor's office for the therapy referral, which is the covered part.
• Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx for local falls prevention and home modification help.
• Rebuilding Together affiliates: https://rebuildingtogether.org/find-your-local-affiliate