FREE FOUNDATION FOR REHABILITATION EQUIPMENT & ENDOWMENT

FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT. FOUNDATION FOR REHABILITATION EQUIPMENT AND ENDOWMENT FREE, TAKES IN DONATED MOBILITY RELATED REHAB EQUIPMENT, SANITIZES AND REFURBISHES IT AND GIVES IT TO THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO NEED IT BUT CAN NOT AFFORD IT. THIS EQUIPMENT HELPS RECIPIENTS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. FREE QUALIFIES THESE INDIVIDUALS BASED ON MEDICAL AND FINANCIAL NEED SO AS TO NOT DUPLICATE SERVICES. ACCORDING TO LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, THERE ARE ON AVERAGE 1 IN 3 ADULTS RETURNING HOME FROM STROKE, SPINAL CORD INJURY, BRAIN INJURY AND OTHER SERIOUS ILLNESSES OR ACCIDENTS WTHOUT EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO RECOVER. THIS SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS THEIR ABILITY TO BE MOBILE, PRODUCTIVE AND INDEPENDENT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS IMPACTS NOT ONLY THE UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO THEIR FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE AND WORK IN. PEOPLE WHO GO WITHOUT NEEDED MOBILTY REHABILITATION EQUIPMENT FALL MORE OFTEN. WHEN THEY FALL, THEY WIND UP IN EMERGENCY ROOMS, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES. THEY LOSE THEIR MOBILITY AND THEIR INDEPENDENCE. IF THEY ARE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED, THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY LIVE IN, THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS THAT SERVE THEM AND THE LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEM ALL BEAR THE COST OF THEIR LOSS. WHEN FREE GIFTS EQUIPMENT, FALLS DROP BY OVER 90. THIS RESULTS IN EQUALLY DRAMATIC DROPS 90 IN ER VISITS, HOSPITAL STAYS AND TRANSFERS TO EXPENSIVE NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES. THOSE IN NEED REGAIN THEIR MOBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE AND VIRGINIANS SAVE MILLLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY. DUE TO THE CONTINUATION OF COVID-19 AND ALUMINUM SHORTAGE EARLY IN 2022, HEALTH SYSTEMS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS DEPENDED HEAVILY ON FREE TO SUPPORT THEIR LOW-INCOME, UNDERINSURED CLIENTS IN NEED OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ASSISTING THEM IN ACQUIRING EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO EXIT THE HOSPITAL AND RETURN SAFELY HOME MORE QUICKLY DECREASING COVID-19 EXPOSURE/SPREAD. BASED ON CLIENT OUTCOMES, INCLUDING GREATER FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE, DECREASED FALLS, DECREASED ER VISITS, DECREASED HOSPITAL RE-ADMISSIONS, AND AVOIDED PREMATURE NURSING HOME PLACEMENTS, FREE PROJECTS FOR EVERY 1 INVESTED IN FREE, WE GIVE BACK 69 IN VALUE OF DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS TO THE COMMUNITY.