Her office says Diane Feinstein’s return home after a fall sent her to the hospital

Sen. Dianne Feinstein is home after briefly going to the hospital after a fall, according to her office.

“Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home. All her tests were clear and she went home.”

ABC News independently confirmed that she tripped and fell on a chair at her home around 1pm on Tuesday.

Falls are the leading cause of death among adults over the age of 65, causing more than 36,000 deaths in 2020. according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three million seniors for falls are treated in emergency departments each year, according to the CDC.

Feinstein’s daughter was granted power of attorney

Feinstein’s daughter, Katherine Feinstein, has also been granted power of attorney over her mother in an ongoing legal matter in which Feinstein’s daughter has sued the trust of Richard Blum, Feinstein’s husband who passed away last year.

in the court documentKathryn Feinstein is listed as the senator’s “actual attorney,” which is one way of referring to an individual who has power of attorney over another person, according to the American Bar Association.

It is not clear why Katherine Feinstein had the power of attorney. “This is a private legal matter. Senator Feinstein and her office will have no comment,” her office told ABC News.

There are many reasons to grant someone a power of attorney, not all of which relate to health or ability.

The American Bar Association notes that convenience, especially in cases where a person may need to be located in another state, is the reason people usually grant a power of attorney. It is also common for seniors to designate someone a power of attorney for protective purposes.

A power of attorney can also be used if a person becomes incapacitated.

It is not uncommon for someone older or wealthier to assign a power of attorney to someone.

Feinstein’s past health issues

Feinstein, 90, returned to the Capitol in May after being hospitalized in February with shingles. She was released in early March and continued her recovery at home.

After she was hospitalized in February, Feinstein’s absence from the Senate became a sticking point for some members of her party who had become increasingly frustrated with the fact that – without her – he could prevent Democratic Republicans from voting on President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees outside the House. Senate Judiciary Committee.

Some on the party’s left wing, including California Rep. Ro Khanna and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, argued in May that the federal judiciary could be damaged if Feinstein did not step down.

“I want to treat Dianne Feinstein fairly,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin told CNN on May 7. “I want to be sensitive to her family situation and her personal situation.” The Senate is affected by her absence.”

Feinstein said at the time that she was looking forward to “resuming” her work on the Judiciary Committee.

“The Senate faces many important issues, but the most pressing is ensuring that our government does not default on its financial obligations,” she said. “I also look forward to resuming my work on the Judiciary Committee given the judicial nominees for president.”

ABC News’ Trish Turner and Isabella Murray contributed to this report.