Osteoporosis is a silent condition that is usually diagnosed late, and after maximum bone loss has occurred, but in most cases it is preventable. Symptoms depend on the location of the fracture. Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium, all of which give bone its strength. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively minor injury that normally would not cause a bone to fracture. As explained by physicians of care homes in Staffordshire, osteoporosis can be detected by using tests that measure bone density. And treatment of osteoporosis includes ensuring that the diet contain adequate calcium and other minerals needed to promote new bone growth. The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis involves programs which include a nutritious diet, cessation of cigarette smoking, curtailing of alcohol consumption, regular exercise, adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D. Are your bones becoming porous, brittle, and ultimately subject to spontaneous fractures? This gradual bone loss is called osteoporosis, and for women, it will accelerate after menopause. Up to 30% of patients suffering a hip fracture will require long-term nursing-home care. Some 20% of women with a hip fracture will die in the subsequent year as an indirect result of the fracture. The growth of sex hormones controls the amount of mineral substance deposited in the bones. Changes in hormone levels can therefore affect the strength of the bones. It is difficult to completely rebuild bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis. Therefore, prevention of osteoporosis is as important as treatment.

Depression is also very common in care homes nowadays. In Depression, Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions are altered in the context of episodes of mania and depression. Previously known as manic depression, bipolar disorder was once thought to occur rarely in youth. The complexity of elderly depression has been described in terms of ‘vulnerabilities to relapse, recurrence and chronicity’ by W. J. Apfeldorf and G. S. Alexopoulos. Contributory factors can be advanced age, female gender, medical burden, severity of depression, cognitive dysfunction, chronic insomnia or several other distinctive and characteristic symptoms for elderly persons. Although depression is by no means a silent disease, it is seriously underdiagnosed. Experts estimate that only 34% of people with depression seek help, and only one-third of those who have major depression get the help they need. Late-life depression can have different causes, symptoms and treatment needs than that observed in younger persons. It is less likely to be grounded in family history, and more frequently associated with the medical and psychosocial problems of ageing or with cognitive deficit.