Report Title:

Appropriation; Home Safety Monitoring; UH Hilo

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to continue and expand the home safety monitoring program at UH-Hilo; program teaches fall prevention to older adults.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

481

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

making an appropriation for the home safety monitoring program.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the home safety monitoring program initiated by students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo has helped older adults to remain physically, mentally, and socially independent. The home safety monitoring program helps the frail elderly prevent falls in their homes. Nearly one-third of people sixty-five years old and older fall each year, with the number doubling for the frail and vulnerable elderly. Falls are the sixth leading cause of death, costing $10,000,000,000 annually. Most falls occur at home. Research indicates that approximately ninety per cent of these home falls could be prevented through a fall prevention program that teaches older adults about the cause and prevention of falls and informs them about fall prevention community services available.

The legislature finds that the objectives of the home safety monitoring program are to: (1) monitor the safety of older adults in the community on a regular basis; (2) teach them about causes of falls; (3) inform them about available community services; and (4) encourage them to be pro-active in self-care. University of Hawaii at Hilo students are trained about causes of falls and about community services available for prevention. Students and volunteers from other community organizations are matched with older adults who are primarily frail and vulnerable to carry out the program's objectives. Students and volunteers provide services for about an hour once a week, for twelve weeks.

After operating for eighteen months, the home safety monitoring programming reports positive results that include home modifications, addition of assistive devices, fewer falls, more helping services, and less institutionalization. The program provides greater independence for our older adults and decreased costs to Medicare and the health care system. The legislature finds that the continued operation and expansion of the home safety-monitoring program to serve a greater number of our older adults would promote elder independence and help prevent falls in the home.

It is the purpose of this Act to appropriate funds to continue and expand the home safety-monitoring program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo to teach older adults about the cause and prevention of falls in the home.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $125,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, to continue and expand the services provided to our older adults by the home safety monitoring program of the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

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