Free Foundation For Rehabilitation Equipment & Endowment

TO PROVIDE HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND OTHER REHABILITATIVE EQUIPMENT TO INDIVIDUALS WHEN NOT AVAILABLE BY OTHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SOURCES

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 CANNOT 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 WITHOUT 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 MOBILITY 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 MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY. DUE TO COVID-19, AND ALUMINUM SHORTAGES, HEALTH SYSTEMS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS HAVE HEAVILY DEPENDED ON FREE TO SUPPORT THEIR LOW-INCOME UNDERINSUREDCLIENTS IN NEED OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO RETURN SAFELY HOMEEXITING THE HOSPITAL SETTING MORE QUICKLY TO DECREASE COVID-19 EXPOSURE.BASED ON THESE OUTCOMES, ON ESTABLISHED ESTIMATES FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS ANDER VISITS DUE TO FALLS, ON EXPECTED LENGTHS OF STAY AND FACILITY COSTS,FREE HAS REVISED OUR ROI MODEL THAT PROJECTS THAT FOR EVERY 1 INVESTED IN FREE, FREE GIVES BACK OVER 84 IN EQUIPMENT AND HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS TO THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES.