From First Response to Home Safety: EMS-Driven Home Modifications

Falls are a leading cause of injury and death among U.S. adults, particularly among those aged 65 and older. Falls can impact mobility, activities of daily living, and threaten independence for older adults. The incidence of falls is increasing in the U.S., and it is likely to increase further as the older adult population grows. Lift assists have also seen an increase, and often EMS agencies must divert resources to these calls without the ability to obtain reimbursement. There are many evidence-based interventions to prevent falls, but limited studies looking at EMS-provided interventions are available. Our team in 2017 designed a project to deliver home modifications via a fire-based EMS agency’s community paramedicine program and is, to our knowledge, the first in the U.S. to do so. The program has since installed over 1,000 grab bars in the community in addition to motion-sensing night lights and providing home risk assessments. In 2022 we created a related project to evaluate program replication at a rural, volunteer fire-based agency, which has been successful. This presentation will provide an engaging and informative practical guide to the process of developing, implementing, and assessing an EMS-based home modification program to prevent falls to participants.