How Dangerous is a Broken Hip for Your Senior?

By Robert D. Liken CPC, CTS, President

January 20, 2017

Elder Care in Sewickley PA

In your role as a family caregiver, awareness is one of your most important tools. Knowing the dangers that your senior is facing enables you to structure your care around efforts to reduce the riskElder-Care-in-Sewickley-PA that they will experience these dangers, but also to give them the care that they need should such an event occur in their later years. One such event is a hip fracture. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year more than 300,000 people over the age of 64 throughout the United States has to be hospitalized due to a hip fracture. Over 95 percent of these injuries occur as a result of a fall, generally a fall to the side. This can be one of the most dangerous injuries your elderly loved one can experience and it is crucial that they receive proper care following such an event.
 
Some of the dangers associated with hip fractures include:

  • Loss of mobility. The pain, stiffness, and other symptoms following a hip fracture can lead to your parent losing their mobility. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to weight gain, weakened cardiovascular health, weakened joints and muscles, and greater risk for both physical and mental health complications.
  • Increased risk of blood clots. Recovery from a hip fracture often means a considerable amount of time restricted to bed. This increases the risk that your elderly loved one will experience a blood clot, which can be fatal if not discovered or treated quickly enough.
  • Increased risk of mortality. The CDC reports that a large percentage of the deaths associated with falls among the older adult population are directly caused by hip fractures and the complications of such injuries or the treatments thereof. A senior who has suffered a hip fracture is at twice the risk of dying within the year after their injury.
  • Diminished quality of life. The effects of a hip fracture can linger for an extremely long time after the injury. In fact, approximately half of all seniors who break a hip are never able to fully regain their strength, mobility, health, and quality of life. This can contribute to mental and emotional health consequences that put your parent at further risk mortality.

 
If your aging parent has suffered a hip fracture, now is the ideal time for you to consider starting elder care for them. A hip fracture can be an extremely dangerous situation for your senior, and the highly personalized services of a senior home care services provider can ensure that they get the care, support, and encouragement that they need to get through their recovery effectively. This care provider will evaluate your loved one’s needs and help them to address these challenges and limitations while also encouraging them to continuing living a lifestyle that is enjoyable, active, and fulfilling. This can help to minimize the dangers that your parent faces during this recovery and after as they work toward resuming their normal life.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Sewickley, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Liken Home Care.  Call (412) 693-6820 or (855) 856-0551

 
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hip-fracture/basics/complications/con-20021033
https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html
https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adulthipfx.html