A novel emergency medical services-based program to identify and assist older adults in a rural community.

Summary: Living in the country can be tough for seniors who need help accessing healthcare. A new program utilized ambulance crews (EMS) to spot problems like falls, depression, or medication mix-ups during regular emergency calls. Instead of just treating the immediate emergency, these crews were trained to screen patients and connect them with case managers for follow-up home visits. The results were promising: EMS screened 85% of older patients, finding that many needed help with medications or fall prevention. While some patients refused the extra help, over 90% of those who completed a home visit received necessary support. It is a feasible way to use existing emergency teams to keep rural seniors safer and better connected to care.