Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 90, Briefly Hospitalized After Fall
The fall is the latest in a series of health issues for Feinstein, who was admitted to a San Francisco hospital to be treated for shingles back in March
Sen. Dianne Feinstein was briefly hospitalized after tripping and falling at her San Francisco residence on Tuesday, her office confirmed to PEOPLE.
A spokesperson for Feinstein, 90, said the lawmaker was taken to a hospital near her home and left later that evening.
“Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home," her spokesperson said. "All of her scans were clear and she returned home.”
The fall is the latest in a series of health issues for Feinstein, who was admitted to a San Francisco hospital to be treated for shingles back in March. While an initial statement expressed optimism that she would return to the Senate later that month, her leave ultimately stretched for more than two months.
The California Democrat returned to the Capitol in mid-May, using a wheelchair but saying in an official statement she was "prepared to resume my duties."
But reports since have offered windows into Feinstein's health, with the senator at one point seemingly forgetting that she had been absent from the Senate, telling a reporter, "I've been here" when asked about her return after the two-month absence.
Then, in early August, Insider surfaced a document showing that the California lawmaker had given power of attorney to her daughter, a move that raised further questions.
Feinstein — a six-term senator and the oldest member of Congress — announced in February 2023, that she would not seek reelection in 2024.
That announcement came prior to her hospitalization but amid rumors of cognitive decline, leading other notable California Democrats to announce bids to replace her.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
Initially, Feinstein pushed back on such claims of decline, even after the 2022 publication of a lengthy report, by the San Francisco Chronicle, in which four U.S. senators, including three Democrats, and three former staffers and a California Democrat serving in the House of Representatives all said Feinstein's memory was deteriorating to the point that they felt she could not fulfill her job duties without the help of her staff.
In a statement to PEOPLE shared by her press team in April 2022, Feinstein denied the accounts of infirmity, saying at the time, "I remain committed to do what I said I would when I was re-elected in 2018: fight for Californians, especially on the economy and the key issues for California of water and fire."
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
