Canada: New Guideline Aims to Reduce Fractures in Seniors in Long-Term Care Facilities

A new guideline that aims to prevent fractures in residents of long-term care facilities is targeted at frail seniors and their families as well as health care workers. The guideline, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), was developed with input from residents of long-term care facilities and their families, as well as researchers and health care professionals. Seniors living in long-term care homes have a two- to four-fold risk of sustaining a fracture such as a hip or spinal fracture, compared with adults of similar age living in the community. Fractures can impact quality of life, render people immobile and lead to early death. It is difficult to determine which frail seniors are at risk because many have multiple conditions, such as dementia or poor kidney function, that hinder risk assessment. The 2015 guideline, based on current evidence, builds on the 2010 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in Canada, which focused on people living in the community and did not include this frail group of seniors.

Source/more: EurekAlert

David Wingate is an elder law attorney at the Elder Law Office of David Wingate, LLC. The elder law office services clients with powers of attorneys, living wills, Wills, Trusts, Medicaid and asset protection. The Elder Law office has locations in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, Maryland.