Act would help assure physical therapy for seniors

Our healthcare system spends a great deal of time and money treating injuries after they happen. We don't spend nearly enough making sure they don’t happen in the first place.

That was one of the issues we talked about during a recent visit to our office from U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s office at an ATI Physical Therapy clinic in Skokie. We don’t often get to bring lawmakers’ staff into the heart of where we provide care, so we were happy to explain the value of physical therapy for the patients who rely on us to stay mobile, active and independent throughout their lives.

As physical therapists, my colleagues and I know firsthand how a fall can alter an Illinoisan’s future in an instant. A single fall can lead to hospitalization, a lengthy recovery and the loss of confidence that comes with worrying it might happen again. Those are all things that we try to help seniors avoid.

Luckily, legislation now supported by the congresswoman following the visit — the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1171) — would help us do that more effectively. This bill would expand access to falls risk assessments for Medicare beneficiaries, helping physical therapists identify problems earlier and enabling seniors to get the care they need before an injury occurs.

We’re grateful for Rep. Schakowsky’s support of the SAFE Act to help improve quality of life for older Americans and encourage other members of Congress to follow suit.

Chad Osborne, Skokie