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Conditions & Treatments

Scary Link Between Fractures and Fatalities

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

You’ve probably heard how a hip fracture can change your life in the blink of an eye. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 people pass away within a year of fracturing a hip.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation reports more bleak numbers: 40% of hip fracture patients can no longer walk without help; a full 60% require assistance within a year; and 1 in 3 lose their independence and end up in an assisted living facility by year’s end.

Yet the largest study of its kind shows any fracture after age 45 can mean the worst…

Scary Link Between Fractures and Fatality

Researchers at the University of Sydney’s Kolling Institute of Bone and Joint Research discovered an unsettling truth. They followed 238,673 people aged 45+ with an average age of 63, and they surveyed these folks between 2006 and 2013.

Here’s what the lead researcher Dr. Lyn March and her team discovered…

15.7 men died for every 1,000 person-years in the study. And 7.9 women died in every 1,000 person-years. (1,000 “person-years” is a common measurement in a study of this size to show the frequency of some event.)

But that’s not the surprising part. This is: The death rate more than doubled in the people who first fractured a bone! In this case, 33 men and 19 women died for every 1,000 person-years!

Now, you might think hip fractures were responsible for most of these fatalities. But the researchers found all fractures (aside from fingers and toes) increased subjects’ risk of dying.

Dr. March said it best herself:

“Common fractures like spinal fractures that cause older people to stoop over, arm, collarbone and wrist fractures from a simple fall, or pelvic fractures from a trip on the stairs or a slip on the ice all increase the risk of the sufferer dying in the next few years.”

As you can see, fragile bones are often a precursor to bigger problems. In fact, low bone density is responsible for 1 in every 3 fall-related deaths!

This isn’t overly surprising… I mean, your bones are literally the foundation that keep you together! So weak bones can’t withstand daily strains like walking, jogging, or even falling like healthy bones can.

2 Simple Ways To Protect Yourself

So what’s the best thing to do to support your foundation? Well, strengthening it of course.

The first way to protect yourself is by exercising to keep your bones strong and healthy! Follow this link for a comprehensive list of bone-strengthening exercises.

And you can do more than exercise to protect yourself too. The second action you can take is going through this Fall Prevention Checklist to make sure your environment is as safe as possible.

Keep safe, keep strong, and be good to your bones!

By Dean Neuls
Dean Neuls is the Co-Founder and CEO of AlgaeCal. He is a natural health author and student of bone health science who is passionate about helping people & bettering lives.

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Physiotherapist giving back massage to senior patient
Conditions & Treatments

Overlooked Link Between Stroke and Osteoporosis

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Did you know stroke is a risk factor for falls, fractures, and even osteoporosis?

It’s true! Research shows you’re 4x more likely to suffer a fracture in the year after a stroke than your average person.

And another study found patients lost up to 14% hip bone density in the year after stroke!

Now, if you think about it, this makes sense. After a stroke, you may have difficulty moving around. You may favor one leg. Struggle with your balance. You probably won’t get right back on your regular exercise schedule…

And the less you move, the more your bone density pays the price.

So, you’d think screening for osteoporosis would be a logical part of post-stroke medical procedures, right? Sadly, it’s not.

Surprising Lack of Osteoporosis Screening After Stroke

A recent study looked at a sample of 16,581 patients aged 65+ from the Ontario Stroke Registry. Researchers investigated how many of these patients were screened for bone loss within a year of suffering a stroke.

The researchers found that just 845 people out of 16,581 were screened for bone mineral density post-stroke. That’s only 5% of patients!

And the stats were even worse for patients who’d never had a DEXA scan before— only 2.9% underwent screening.

What’s more, whether someone fractured a bone in the past didn’t affect their likelihood of getting a bone scan. That’s concerning because once you’ve broken a bone, your risk of breaking another bone goes up. And research tells us fractures lead to increased bone loss…

Yet, fracture history wasn’t a consideration for post-stroke bone density screening.

This isn’t an isolated issue either.

Experts estimate osteoporosis screening rates are below 27% in the general population for older American women. But screening post-stroke may be particularly low because few people recognize osteoporosis can be a consequence of stroke.

The US stroke guidelines do include osteoporosis as a complication, but they don’t provide any recommendations for testing or treatment— they just include fall prevention strategies.

Of course, fall prevention is important. (You can find a comprehensive fall prevention checklist here!)

But just sharing fall prevention strategies is like slapping a band-aid on a problem and hoping it doesn’t fall off…

The better course of action is to address the root cause of the problem. And you need to be aware of a problem in order to address it— which is why bone density screening post-stroke is so important!

That way, you can take measures to increase your bone density, reduce your risk of fracture, and avoid a fall.

So if you or someone you know suffers a stroke, make sure you ask for a bone density scan and monitor for osteoporosis in the years to come! Visit this page for a helpful guide to bone density scans.

By Dean Neuls

Dean Neuls is the Co-Founder and CEO of AlgaeCal. He is a natural health author and student of bone health science who is passionate about helping people & bettering lives.

 

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Senior adult practicing yoga by the pool
Exercise & Fitness

New Study Highlights the Importance of “Postural Sway”

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Yes, low bone density can potentially lead to a fracture. But there’s another factor that can increase fracture risk by more than 10 times! It’s something called “postural sway.”

Below, I’ll explain what that is, how a new study shows it’s something to be concerned about, and — the good news! — what you can do to make it less of an issue.

What is Postural Sway?

Postural sway is basically how well you can maintain balance while “quiet standing” (not speaking or doing anything else).

That might sound pretty straightforward, but it’s not! Just standing still is the result of a complex relationship between your muscular and neurological systems. If they don’t work in perfect harmony with each other, your balance can be affected.

Medical professionals have many methods for measuring a person’s postural sway. But one of the most popular is called the Berg Balance Scale. This involves rating a patient’s stability while they stand still (with eyes open and closed) and do ordinary tasks like reaching and bending.

Unfortunately, as you age, your ability to maintain balance becomes weaker. That’s why falling and breaking a bone can be such a concern! In fact, a study from 2013 reported that falls are the number one cause of death for older people. And among those who suffer a hip fracture because of a fall, one in five will pass away within a year.

A New Study on the Role of Postural Sway

It’s because of statistics like these that researchers in Finland wanted to look into how much of a role severe postural sway plays in the risk of an osteoporotic fracture.

Their study followed 1,568 Finnish women between the ages of 53 and 65. The participants’ postural sway was measured with an electronic platform that detects body movement. The researchers then followed up with the women over several years.

The results showed that women with the highest postural sway and the lowest bone density were 11.8 times more likely to suffer an osteoporotic fracture. They were also 4.9 times more likely to experience a fracture for reasons not associated with osteoporosis.

The researchers concluded that high postural sway is a significant risk factor for bone fractures. And it becomes a greater risk when combined with low bone density.

I know, that may all seem pretty obvious! But it’s worth keeping in mind just how much more at risk of a fracture you are if you have high postural sway. And if you have low bone density on top of that, the risk is a lot greater…

What You Can Do to Reduce Fall Risk

Now, there are things you can do to decrease your chances of a fall — like clearing your home of tripping hazards and wearing shoes that provide good grip! Visit this page for a comprehensive Fall Prevention Checklist.

You can also reduce your risk of falling through exercise. In fact, there are many exercises specifically designed to improve balance. You can find a list of gentle, safe exercises for older adults here.

And if you’re concerned you might have high postural sway, be sure to ask your medical professional to schedule a test. It’s fast, easy, and will give you a better idea of how good your balance is!

By Dean Neuls
Dean Neuls is the Co-Founder and CEO of AlgaeCal. He is a natural health author and student of bone health science who is passionate about helping people & bettering lives.

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Physical Therapy, Stretching, Senior Woman
Conditions & Treatments

Link Between Fractures and Fatalities

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

You’ve probably heard how a hip fracture can change your life in the blink of an eye. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 people pass away within a year of fracturing a hip

The International Osteoporosis Foundation reports more bleak numbers: 40% of hip fracture patients can no longer walk without help; a full 60% require assistance within a year, and 1 in 3 lose their independence and end up in an assisted living facility by year’s end.

Yet the largest study of its kind shows any fracture after age 45 can mean the worst…

Scary Link Between Fractures and Fatality

Researchers at the University of Sydney’s Kolling Institute of Bone and Joint Research discovered an unsettling truth. They followed 238,673 people aged 45+ with an average age of 63, and they surveyed these folks between 2006 and 2013.

Here’s what the lead researcher Dr. Lyn March and her team discovered…

15.7 men died for every 1,000 person-years in the study. And 7.9 women died in every 1,000 person-years. (1,000 “person-years” is a common measurement in a study of this size to show the frequency of some event.)

But that’s not the surprising part. This is: The death rate more than doubled in the people who first fractured a bone! In this case, 33 men and 19 women died for every 1,000 person-years!

Now, you might think hip fractures were responsible for most of these fatalities. But the researchers found all fractures (aside from fingers and toes) increased subjects’ risk of dying.

Dr. March said it best herself:

“Common fractures like spinal fractures that cause older people to stoop over, arm, collarbone and wrist fractures from a simple fall, or pelvic fractures from a trip on the stairs or a slip on the ice all increase the risk of the sufferer dying in the next few years.”

As you can see, fragile bones are often a precursor to bigger problems. In fact, low bone density is responsible for 1 in every 3 fall-related deaths!

This isn’t overly surprising… I mean, your bones are literally the foundation that keeps you together! So weak bones can’t withstand daily strains like walking, jogging, or even falling like healthy bones can.

2 Simple Ways To Protect Yourself

So what’s the best thing to do to support your foundation? Well, strengthening it of course.

The first way to protect yourself is by exercising to keep your bones strong and healthy! Follow this link for a comprehensive list of bone-strengthening exercises.

And you can do more than exercise to protect yourself too. The second action you can take is going through this Fall Prevention Checklist to make sure your environment is as safe as possible.

Keep safe, keep strong, and be good to your bones!

By Dean Neuls
Dean Neuls is the Co-Founder and CEO of AlgaeCal. He is a natural health author and student of bone health science who is passionate about helping people & bettering lives.

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Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture
Conditions & Treatments

Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

This year, over 300,000 U.S. seniors will be hospitalized with a hip fracture — a serious injury for any elderly person. While some seniors recover relatively quickly after a broken hip, for most seniors, hip fracture recovery is both difficult and dangerous. Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture
During hip fracture recovery, non-medical support from senior care providers and family caregivers can make a huge difference. During the recovery period, seniors are unable to perform many basic tasks and are at an elevated risk of a hospital readmission or mortality. Senior care — either by professional caregivers or family members — can help make day-to-day living easier and increase the chance of a full recovery. Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture
If you have a spouse, parent, grandparent, or an elderly friend or relative who has experienced a hip fracture, are some of the steps that you and another caregiver can take to improve your loved one’s chance of recovery:

Start with Doctor’s and Therapist’s Orders

In helping a senior recover from a broken hip, care begins and ends with doctors’ orders. Your loved one’s doctor will have a full understanding of your loved one’s risk factors, the severity of his or her fracture, and the best options for your loved one’s recovery. When discussing your loved one’s recovery with his or her physician, be sure to take detailed notes on care directives and ask questions if there is anything you are unclear about.
Your loved one’s physician and insurer will coordinate physical therapy, which is typically provided in your loved one’s home or in a recovery facility. Therapy is generally performed multiple times a week and is crucial to helping your loved one heal and regain strength. Your loved one’s therapist will likely leave instructions for exercises that your loved one should perform between therapy sessions.
It is important that you make sure your loved one practices these exercises. Roughly 75% of seniors who suffer a broken hip never fully regain the ability to walk. Your loved one’s exercises will increase their chances of being part of the 25% that regain full walking ability and will decrease the likelihood that they will require a walker or wheelchair for the remainder of their life.

Senior Care During Recovery

In the weeks and months after your loved one’s hip fracture, their mobility will be extremely limited. It will be impossible for your loved one to do many daily tasks on his or her own. This is where family caregivers and professional care workers come in.
Non-medical senior care during hip fracture recovery includes assistance with activities like bathing, dressing, hygiene, mobility, transferring, running errands, shopping for groceries, and preparing meals.
Part of providing senior care after a broken hip is also ensuring your loved one’s living place is safe. After a hip fracture, seniors often have balance and coordination issues, increasing the likelihood of a second fall, resulting in a refractured hip. To make your loved one’s home safer, you should consider strategies for how to fall-proof your home. These include improved lighting, removing clutter, keeping cords bundled up and away from walking areas, and installing weight-bearing railings/grab bars in stairways and bathrooms.
Senior care during hip fracture recovery also includes emotional and companionship components. The pain, isolation, and disability of a broken hip can often lead to sadness, despondency, and depression during the recovery period. Family caregivers can help relieve these feelings, whether by offering empathy and conversation or simply by providing a human presence.

Recovery a Long Road for Most

Recovering from a hip fracture is a long and difficult process for most seniors. While your loved one’s fracture might heal within 6-8 weeks, it typically takes 9-12 months before seniors have recovered their strength, balance, and coordination.
During these months, your support, the assistance of other family members, and the help of professional caregivers, therapists, and doctors will be a major part of your loved one’s recovery. As a family senior care provider, you will also play a big role in preventing future falls and injuries.
If you have a loved one who requires senior care after a broken hip, professional non-medical care can make a big difference. At Visiting Angels, our caregivers regularly provide non-medical assistance through our Ready-Set-Go Home program, which provides care for seniors after coming home from the hospital. This program is designed to reduce the risk of complications and injury during recovery.
To learn more about this program and to schedule a free care consultation, contact your local Visiting Angels office today.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4410861/

Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture

Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture

Tips on Caregiving after at Hip Fracture
 

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