You might assume that individuals residing in care facilities receive the highest level of care and attention. However, a recent study, which examined historical skeletal remains, challenges this assumption.
The Troubling Findings
Researchers have made a distressing revelation regarding individuals living in public care institutions in the United States between 1910 and 1967.
These individuals faced nearly double the risk of suffering hip fractures compared to those not residing in such facilities. More distressing is the fact that many of these hip fractures resulted in avoidable deaths.
The study, conducted by Madeleine Mant from the University of Toronto, Carlina de la Cova from the University of South Carolina, and Megan Brickley from McMaster University, drew upon a collection of 600 skeletons housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
These remains belonged to individuals who had been largely forgotten after their passing, either due to the absence of family or their families’ inability to afford proper burials.
Alarming Statistics
The study’s findings reveal that 4.3% of individuals in care institutions suffered hip fractures, compared to only 2.3% in the general population.
These fractures often resulted from simple and preventable accidents, such as falling out of wheelchairs or tripping on subpar flooring.
Shockingly, the research indicates that a staggering 82% of hip fractures in care institutions led to fatalities.
Uncovering Two Disturbing Issues
These findings spotlight two significant concerns. Firstly, researchers identify what they term “structural violence.”
This term refers to the indirect harm inflicted on individuals due to the inadequate funding, substandard maintenance, and low-quality staffing within these institutions.
Secondly, the study highlights “cultural apathy.” This refers to a broader societal indifference towards addressing these issues.
The Ongoing Challenge
Mant asserts that this problem is not confined to the past but persists today, particularly in Canadian care facilities. Modern accounts of similar issues are frequently shared with her when she discusses her research.
Other countries, including the Netherlands and Switzerland, have also reported elevated fracture risks in care homes.
A harrowing case in Canada involved a woman in an Oakville, Ontario, nursing home who had severe thigh fractures at the time of her death, with no clear explanation.
Time for Change
The study serves as a wake-up call, prompting a reassessment of how care facilities are perceived and demanding higher standards.
Mant emphasizes that caring for the most vulnerable in society is not a luxury but a fundamental human right that must be safeguarded.
Raising awareness about these issues is essential, and Mant calls for accountability for those who have known about these problems but have failed to take action.
Neglected care facilities are not relics of the past; they are a global problem that affects us all.
In conclusion, recognizing the historical and ongoing challenges faced by individuals in care facilities underscores the urgency of addressing these issues and ensuring that every individual receives the care and attention they deserve.
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Additionally, consider the benefits of an affordable method to maintain muscle health and the role of essential vegetables in promoting muscle strength. This study was published in PLOS ONE.
If you care about bone health, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more information about bone health, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
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