Fall prevention, a method of guidance to reduce the risk and consequences of falls, will be definitively reimbursed from the basic package from next year. But, not for everyone. Only if the risk of falling if high is estimated, the health insurer will pay the costs.
People must first take part in a so-called fall risk test, says Esther Witte of SportDrenthe. “If you get a low score, then you are doing very well and you should continue to exercise and exercise.” Bee mediocre you can take the course, but you must pay for it from your own wallet.
In addition to physical assignments, the fall prevention lessons consist of information about how to avoid tripping. Witte: “The course is mainly about balance. Where is it located, and how can I get more of this? And how do my leg muscles become stronger so that I don’t fall?” The exercises often consist of knee bends, climbing stairs, getting up from the chair and picking something up from the ground. “We are building it up very carefully,” Witte emphasizes. “People need to regain confidence. We don’t do sports.”
At home, for example, people are instructed about the arrangement of their furniture. “What are the walkways like, where are the chairs and rugs?”, says Witte. “And what footwear are you wearing and are the eyes still good?”
If the course is combined with weekly independent exercises, the risk of falling is reduced by 60 percent, Witte claims.