Practical DME and Home Modifications for Aging Adults

It is a fact that 80% of household falls occur in the bathroom. It is also true that Medicare pays for no Durable Medical Equipment (DME) for the bathroom. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 40% of those admitted to hospitals and nursing homes for fall related reasons, will never return to independent living. Rehabilitation therapists are in a unique position to changethis trajectory. These passionate professionals provide the rehabilitation services to help aging adults improve function, however what happens after skilled services ends is just as important as the rehabilitation. A New England Burden of Disease (BODE) report stated that "home safety assessment and modification appear to be a very cost-effective health sector intervention." According to this study, an average cost of $448 resulted in a 33% reduction in spending to treat fall related injuries over three years. This practical course will help rehabilitation professionals identify inexpensive ways to help aging adults improve safety and function in the home with tools to aid in mobility, ADL, vision, communication, cognition, eating and swallowing. Attendees will also learn how to document for those items that are covered by Medicare/insurance; as well as resources to help securecertain items that are not. By recommending simple, yeteffective gadgets and strategies, rehab therapists can help to ensure that the 90% of older adults who desire to age in place can do just that!

This course will help rehabilitation therapists identify DME and home modification needs and non-medical safety items for their clients with or without a physical in-home assessment. The workbook style manual will help participantspractice problem-resolution style needs assessment. A medical necessity template guide will allow participants to document effectively and accurately to help ensureinsurance coverage for medically necessary DME. Participants will be able to Identify, help secure, andappropriately document for equipment and home modification needs, immediately.

Highlights

• Immediately improve your client's safety and function for more independent living using practical equipment and techniques
• Safety gadgets and home modification strategies that won't break the bank
• Documentation templates to ensure coverage for those items by Medicare/insurance

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech-Language Pathologists