Dementia test for fracture patients

A team at Southampton General Hospital is separating patients over 70 who fracture bones in a fall but do not require hospital admission from other patients in the emergency department.

They are then seen directly by a team of orthopaedic, osteoporosis and elderly care specialists to see if dementia could be a problem as 40 per cent of all hip fractures in the UK happen to those with the condition.

As well as treatment for broken wrists, arms and shoulders, patients are given a basic physical and mental assessment to find out why they are falling to minimise their future risk and prevent the more serious fractures of the hips or spine

There are currently 75,000 cases of hip fracture in the UK every year among people of an average age of 80, but experts in Southampton believe earlier intervention into all aspects of an individual’s health needs will lower the number.