Emergency care and deaths after fall incidents reduce elderly people by 28%
Venlo, Amsterdam, 19 July 2022 – A new development in the field of crowdfunding: investment in prevention to save costs and suffering among seniors through the Health Impact Bond 'Stevig Staan'. Every year, nearly 100,000 seniors end up in the emergency department after a fall incident and more than 5,000 deaths as a result of a fall incident. These figures cost an estimated €1.2 billion while 28% of these incidents can be prevented if investments are made in prevention. That is why a unique crowdfunding campaign is starting today via Oneplanetcrowd that, in addition to an institutional investor allows individuals to invest in fall prevention courses for 2,500 seniors in seven municipalities in North Limburg. If successful, municipalities and health insurers save costs. With this money, the municipalities[1], the care office and health insurers VGZ and CZ pay back the investors. A consortium led by De Zorggroep is implementing the program. Social Finance NL is involved as the intermediary. The program was co-developed by Vilans and VeiligheidNL.
In the healthcare sector, costs are rising further and further. Yet little is invested in prevention. Ruben Koekoek, managing director of Social Finance NL and intermediary of the Health Impact Bond: "If you just look at the costs of fall incidents, a doubling is expected in the next ten years. We believe that investing in prevention is the solution, also to prevent more social suffering. This requires a different way of working together and investing. Municipalities are responsible for the prevention, while most social costs of fall incidents are borne by health insurers. By setting up a Health Impact Bond, we offer a solution that benefits both the seniors and the municipalities, and the health insurers. The fact that private individuals can now also invest in this solution makes the social business case complete."
What is a Health Impact Bond?
A Health Impact Bond is a financing instrument in which (social) investors provide the capital for intervention; in this case, a program for seniors aimed at fall prevention. The two courses offered in this program have already shown in the past that they lead to fewer fall incidents among the participants. In the Health Impact Bond 'Standing Firm', the number of fall incidents among the participating elderly people is measured over two years. When the results of the intervention are positive, this results in savings for health insurers, care offices (nursing home care), and municipalities (home care). These benefits together are a lot greater than the costs of the intervention itself, creating a socially positive business case. The three parties are willing to pay out most of these benefits to the investors.
Everyone can participate
For the Health Impact Bond Stevig Staan, crowdfunders have a financing opportunity that yields both a financial and social return. With a total investment of €1.55 million, of which €775,000 (50%) will be funded by crowdfunders through Oneplanetcrowd, a five-year, three-month programme will be made possible for 2,500 participating elderly people. In this way, everyone can invest in a program that ensures that the elderly fall less and grow old more vitally. The investor also receives regular updates on how the program is progressing and how many fall incidents have been prevented. The return depends directly on the success of the program, which will have to be determined and therefore has a fairly high risk. The expected return for investors is annually 7,5%. You can now invest via https://www.oneplanetcrowd.com/nl/project/200458/description
[1] Venlo, Horst aan de Maas, Beesel, Peel en Maas, Bergen, Gennep, Venray
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