AARP Backs New Bill to Prevent Falls Among Older Americans

AARP is endorsing bipartisan legislation designed to prevent a longstanding and widespread issue among Americans 65 and older: falls.

More than 14 million adults 65 and older — or 1 in 4 — report falling every year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those tumbles result in roughly nine million injuries, three million emergency department visits, and one million hospitalizations annually.

These falls can be fatal: They are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults ages 65 and older, according to CDC data. In 2023, more than 40,000 older adults died from falls. What’s more, the death rate from falls has been rising, increasing 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 senior vice president for government affairs, wrote in an Oct. 31 letter endorsing the legislation.

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 falls prevention advisory committee made up of representatives from federal and state government agencies, healthcare providers, researchers, caregivers, housing assistance experts, 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 issue. The committee would also commission studies on the most common household accidents and cost-effective ways to prevent them.

A proposal to reimburse for home upgrades

The proposed act would also allow for a pilot program to test Medicare coverage or reimbursement of home modifications, which the federal insurance program doesn’t currently offer. For example, the pilot may assess whether reimbursing for grab bars or staircase handrails decreases the number of household falls.

“We all know the saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and preventative care is a win-win for Maine patients, families and the taxpayers,” co-sponsor King said in a September statement.

Maine leads the nation with the largest proportion of adults 65 and older and ranks eighth in the nation per capita on deaths due to falls.

“A fall in a shower or bathtub can result in a hospital stay and medical bills in the thousands of dollars,” King added, “while an investment in a grab bar would be a few hundred dollars.”

AARP’s endorsement is one of several ways we’re fighting to help older Americans age safely at home. In September, we endorsed another bipartisan bill designed to better protect older veterans from falls. More broadly, we’ve backed a slate of legislative proposals this year that support aging in place.

Read our full letter to King and Rounds. Also, explore 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 get older. ​