You think that your family home will be yours forever: it’s the place you raised your children, made countless happy memories, and now it’s where you can see your grandchildren grow up. But in a split second, osteoporosis can take that all away.
Sadly, over half of all hip fracture patients discharged from a hospital after their hip fracture don’t return home. Many go to a rehabilitation centre, or move into long-term care facilities where they can receive around-the-clock care. In fact, over one in two hip fracture patients will suffer another fracture within five years.
If you think you’re at risk of osteoporosis, it’s important to talk to your doctor about getting a 10-year fracture risk assessment before it’s too late.
Osteoporosis took so many things from me. A lifetime of hard work. Thirty years of making our house a home. Countless happy memories. But it only took one second to change everything.
Six months ago, I fell and broke my hip. My daughters couldn’t take care of me when I left the hospital. Instead, I was transferred to a nursing home.
My life as I knew it is gone. I hadn’t counted on this. Never even thought of checking for osteoporosis.
I miss my old life so much. The home we made. The treasures we found along the way. All our belongings.
The friends we made, and the long Sunday afternoons we spent together playing bridge. Holidays with the family and watching the grandkids grow up. My poor dog. She must wonder where I went. It breaks my heart to imagine her on her own.
My youngest tells me one in six hip fracture patients end up in a nursing home. I wish I’d known that sooner.
We worked hard for everything we had. Now, my home is empty. And I’m all alone.