You might think people in care facilities receive the best care possible, but a new study shows that’s not always true.
Researchers found that between 1910 and 1967, people living in public care homes in America had nearly double the risk of breaking their hips compared to those not in such homes.
Many of these fractures led to deaths that could have been prevented.
The study was led by Madeleine Mant from the University of Toronto, Carlina de la Cova from the University of South Carolina, and Megan Brickley from McMaster University.
They examined 600 skeletons at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. These remains were of people who had been largely forgotten after death, often because they had no family or their families couldn’t afford a burial.
The researchers discovered that 4.3% of people in care institutions had broken hips, compared to just 2.3% in the general population.
These fractures often occurred due to simple, avoidable accidents, like falling out of a wheelchair or tripping on a poorly maintained floor. Shockingly, 82% of hip fractures in these care homes led to death.
This study highlights two major issues. The first is “structural violence,” meaning the very design and operation of these institutions—due to lack of funding, poor maintenance, and inadequate staffing—indirectly harmed the residents.
The second issue is “cultural apathy,” meaning society hasn’t cared enough to address these problems.
Mant emphasizes that this is not just a historical problem; it’s still happening today. Many people have shared stories with her about similar issues in modern care facilities, especially in Canada. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Switzerland, also report higher risks of fractures in care homes.
One particularly shocking case in Canada involved a woman in an Oakville, Ontario nursing home who had severe fractures in both of her thighs when she died, and no one seemed to know how it happened.
Mant hopes this study will serve as a wake-up call, urging people to demand better standards in care facilities. She stresses that caring for the most vulnerable is a basic human right that needs to be upheld. Mant believes that bringing awareness to this issue and holding accountable those who have ignored it is crucial.
This issue is not confined to the past or to specific places; it’s a global problem that affects us all. The neglect in care facilities is something that needs immediate attention and action to ensure the safety and well-being of the elderly and vulnerable populations.
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