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Body and Mental Commom Diseases in Care Homes

January 11, 2010 on 1:22 pm | In Uncategorized | Comments Off

Osteoporosis is a silent condition that is usually diagnosed late, and after maximum bone loss has occurred, but in most cases it is preventable. Fractures are responsible for significant morbity- 85% of women cannot walk across a room 6 months after a hip fracture.Unchecked osteoporosis can lead to changes in posture, physical abnormality (particularly the form of hunched back known colloquially as “dowager’s hump”), and decreased mobility.

According to the Arthritis Foundation; approximately 50% of hip fracture survivors are incapacitated permanently. In care homes in Gloucestershire, they meet with their physician regularly to assess the bone density and risk for developing osteoporosis.Your doctor will suspect osteoporosis if you have had a fragility fracture. A bone density test can confirm the diagnosis. Exercise can have a positive effect on bone mineral density and the strength of bone, but it is a complicated relationship because of many factors including genetics, age, gender, hormone and more. Age applies to everyone when it comes to the effect of exercise on building bone strength. The bone is a living dynamic structure; it is constantly being removed (resorbed) and rebuilt. This maintains normal calcium level in the blood. When the rate of resorption exceeds that of rebuilding over time, osteoporosis results. Osteoporosis and tooth loss are health concerns that affect many older men and women. Research suggests that there is a link between osteoporosis and bone loss in the jaw.

Depression is also a common condition in care homes nowadays. Depression can be classified as a disease, however it is better described as a disorder. Disease often implies a condition is contagious which depression is not. In the elderly, the main areas of medical comorbidity with depression are chronic conditions that are largely the result of ageing: stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, cancer and dementia are singled out as risk factors for elderly depression by WebMD.

A physical exam and medical history may offer clues that point to depression caused by medication or an underlying illness. In these cases, blood tests or x-rays may confirm the problem. Often, when people are unable or unwilling to recognize their own depression, their initial complaints are medical. Headaches, stomach problems, sexual difficulties, and lack of energy are among the more common medical complaints. It is important to understand that depression and sadness are different. The death of a loved one, loss of a relationship, termination of a job, including retirement, will cause us to feel sad. Grief is a normal response to these situations. Individuals experiencing challenging times will often remark that he or she feels depressed. However, sadness, grief and depression are not the same. Feelings of sadness and grief will lessen with time while depression can continue for months and years, if untreated.