Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Group members: -
Mugdha Mhatre – PGDC 05
Jinal Patel – PGDC 06
Banashree Bhatia – PGDGC 03
Mukta Dhage- PGDGC 08
Sanyukta Majgaonkar – PGDGC 13
INDEX
1. HISTORY OF OSTEOPOROSIS 2
2. MEDICAL ASPECT 4
5. ROLE OF COUNSELLOR 14
7. REFERANCES 21
1
Osteoporosis literally means porous bone. The medical community defines
osteoporosis as a skeletal disorder in which bone strength is reduced as a result
of loss of bone mass and through the deterioration of the bone architecture. The
consequence of these changes is an increased fracture risk. Fractures that occur
as a result of low-trauma are known as fragility fractures. In simpler words, the
inside of a healthy bone has small spaces, like a honeycomb. Osteoporosis
increases the size of these spaces, causing the bone to lose strength and density.
In addition, the outside of the bone grows weaker and thinner.
It is the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly. Bones that
commonly break include the vertebrae in the spine, the bones of the forearm, and
the hip.
The link between age-related reductions in bone density and fracture risk goes
back at least to Astley Cooper, and the term "osteoporosis" and recognition of
its pathological appearance is generally attributed to the French pathologist Jean
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Lobstein. The American endocrinologist Fuller Albright linked osteoporosis with
the postmenopausal state.
Osteoporosis has enormous public health consequences due to the morbidity and
mortality of the resulting fractures and the associated healthcare expenditure,
particularly as aging populations increase in many parts of the world. As there is
no cure, it is important to identify early life influences on later bone mineral
density, which may aid the development of interventions to optimize bone health
and reduce osteoporosis risk.
Hip fractures
Hip fractures are responsible for the most serious consequences of
osteoporosis. In the United States, more than 250,000 hip fractures annually
are attributable to osteoporosis. A 50-year-old white woman is estimated to
have a 17.5% lifetime risk of fracture of the proximal femur. The incidence of
hip fractures increases each decade from the sixth through the ninth for both
women and men for all populations. The highest incidence is found among men
and women ages 80 or older.
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Vertebral fractures
Between 35 and 50% of all women over 50 had at least one vertebral fracture.
In the United States, 700,000 vertebral fractures occur annually, but only
about a third are recognized. In a series of 9704 women aged 68.8 on average
studied for 15 years, 324 had already suffered a vertebral fracture at entry
into the study and 18.2% developed a vertebral fracture, but that risk rose to
41.4% in women who had a previous vertebral fracture.
Wrist fractures
In the United States, 250,000 wrist fractures annually are attributable to
osteoporosis.[135] Wrist fractures are the third most common type of
osteoporotic fractures. The lifetime risk of sustaining a colles fracture is about
16% for white women. By the time women reach age 70, about 20% have had at
least one wrist fracture.
Rib fracture
Fragility fractures of the ribs are common in men as young as age 35. These are
often overlooked as signs of osteoporosis, as these men are often physically
active and suffer the fracture in the course of physical activity. An example
would be as a result of falling while water skiing or jet skiing. However, a quick
test of the individual's testosterone level following the diagnosis of the
fracture will readily reveal whether that individual might be at risk.
- Medications
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There typically are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. It is highly
essential to visit doctor or go for a check-up regularly if one feels that there is
risk of fracture or unreasonable pain. You might want to talk to your doctor
about osteoporosis if you went through early menopause or took corticosteroids
for several months at a time, or if either of your parents had hip fractures But
once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you might have signs and
symptoms that include:
Osteoporosis is common in the UK, and the risk increases with age. Anyone can
get osteoporosis but women are about four times more likely than men to
develop it. There are two main reasons for this:
The process of bone loss speeds up for several years after the menopause,
when the ovaries stop producing the female sex hormone oestrogen.
Men generally reach a higher level of bone density before the process of bone
loss begins. Bone loss still occurs in men but it has to be more severe before
osteoporosis occurs.
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• Causes -
Other factors that may affect your risk include: ethnicity, low body weight,
previous fractures, medical conditions.
6
The extent to which osteoporosis affects the life of a person can be varied
depending on the severity of their condition. Some people may be restricted in
terms of performing household chores, going for long walks, perusing interests
like gardening, knitting, dancing, cooking etc., while others may find little to no
difference in their day-to-day lives. Nevertheless, most people suffering for
osteoporosis may have an
attitude change with respect to
the caution they take when
carrying bags or bending to lift
things from the floor. Since it is
a condition which affects the
strength of bones, senior
citizens are likely to face more
problems when dealing with it.
Weak, brittle bones make
everyday life increasingly
difficult for senior citizens and
bring about a number of
challenges, including:
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Pain
b) Senior citizens may have a low threshold towards pain due to various
factors such as age or other health related issues, which might make
it harder for them to cope with osteoporosis. It is necessary to have
an accurate diagnosis of the pain in order to be aware of or rule out
other serious conditions.
a) Persistent pain and fractures take time to heal which makes mobility
a challenge. This in turn makes osteoporosis worse and cause other
health problems as well. For instance, hip fractures are common for
people with osteoporosis, and the treatment for a hip fracture can
include staying in bed for a long period of time. This can increase the
risk of blood clots, bed sores, stiff joints, pneumonia and other
infections.
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b) Most find it difficult to go for walks or do certain physical tasks for
a longer period of time and require breaks every once in a while to
avoid the onset of pain. For example, someone who has a passion for
gardening, may find it difficult to manage tedious jobs such as
digging, lifting pots or mowing the lawn. Thus they resort to sitting
on stools and taking short breaks while gardening. Even knitting
might become a challenging task for some since their hand starts
paining while holding the needle.
d) For a few people, dressing up and personal care can also be a problem.
Bending down and putting socks/tights, pants and shoes can be
difficult for them. Thus they need the assistance and support of
either their family or hired help.
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older people with osteoporosis. This, along with the earlier points
can be a major hindrance for older people who live alone.
Changes in Lifestyle
Along with being cautious about lifting things or bending, there are some
lifestyle changes that a person suffering from osteoporosis might have to
make:
a) Changes in the diet would be necessary to strengthen the bones.
Foods which are high in calcium and Vitamin D substitutes must be
included in one’s diet.
b) Including exercising in their daily routine would be helpful to control
their weight and also increase the bone mass. This can be challenging
for some senior citizens since the only form of exercise they are
comfortable with is walking. And even when it comes to walking, they
may have the fear of falling on certain surfaces.
Some also prefer resorting to yoga or Tai Chi to strengthen their
emotional well-being along with their physical well-being.
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elevated toilet seats, extra steps, and rubber mats or rough tiles in
bathrooms to avoid the risk of falling.
e) Some might have to resort to using a wheelchair or a walker for
moving around.
Financial Burdens
Depression
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them to accept help for basic things that they probably could earlier
manage on their own.
d) The financial burdens can also have a negative effect on the patient’s
sense of well-being and security.
Death
The support from family and friends plays a very important role for the elderly
who are struggling with osteoporosis. But this silent disease negatively impacts
not only the patient, but also their family.
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A lot of care and caution needs to be administered to senior citizens
with osteoporosis. In case they cannot afford some hired help, it is the
family members who support the patient completely. This can get
physically as well as emotionally taxing since they have to look after not
only their routine life, but also give special attention to the elderly.
Adjustments in diets and schedules need to be made with respect to
the convenience of the senior citizen.
Osteoporosis can affect the closest relationships as well as more
distant ones. In case even one of the partners suffers from
osteoporosis, tension can build between them since both try to adjust
with the changes in lifestyle that come along with it.
Intimate relations are often strictly limited or stopped altogether due
to the fear of causing fractures. This can lead to the couple drifting
apart.
In most scenarios, the one who takes care of the patient is the one who
deals with majority of the negative comments and behaviors. They are
rarely appreciated for their efforts and help, and this can lead to
discouragement and lack of motivation to help on the part of the helper.
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Learning that osteoporosis disease has NO cure can damage one
emotionally as well as physically. But proper treatment can help protect and
strengthen, slow the breakdown of bone in your body, and some treatments
can spur the growth of new bone. If one not in the right mindset when
dealing with critical life moments, it can negatively affect every aspect of
your life from work to family and even social engagements. Feelings and
thoughts about osteoporosis varied depending on how the condition
affected their everyday life. People whose lives were not changed or only
slightly changed, by osteoporosis said that it had not affected them too
much emotionally. Others remarked that their initial reactions to their
diagnosis had improved as they learnt more about the condition and its
management. Positive thoughts and a pro-active attitude have helped
others cope with physical problems.
1. Counsellors can help the client to regulate their emotions and not to
stuff it. *(Remember client can the person diagnosed with osteoporosis
or any caregiver of it)
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- Counsellors should engage the clients to embrace their feelings. It’s 100%
natural to feel stressed and anxious about it. Remember embracing your
emotion means acknowledging your emotions regarding your diagnosis is not
the same as accepting it as inevitable or incurable. Some people described
feeling a range of emotions including: denial, shock, anger, ‘lucky’ to have
been diagnosed, depression, sadness, fear of falling and having a fracture,
lack of confidence following a fall and fracture, loss of independence in old
age, fear of disability, positive and confident etc.
- E.g.- the clients left the doctor’s office with pamphlet containing
information on various drugs and drug treatment options. Also, Google and
the internet has added to his anxiety levels. He is faced with conflicting
information from a variety of different sources- some trustworthy, and
some, not so much. Here the counsellor should tell them to take unhurried
deep belly breath to help him calm down and then can give factual
information to the client and recommend doctors which are well known and
‘SUITABLE’ for the client. Also mention that Don’t be too hard on yourself.
You’re allowed to be overwhelmed with a wide range of emotions concerning
the steps to come. Once they are able to harness feelings, you can begin to
move past them into solution mode. Give yourself permission to ask for help
from friends, family and even strangers. Also accept help when offered.
2. Counsellors can help create appropriate solutions and make SMART goals
for them and their caregivers.
- Everyone is unique. What works for one person won’t necessarily be the
best option for someone else. Counsellors have to be aware how their
mental and physical body works and provide guidance on that. Stress,
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anxiety, depression, lack of support [environmental/financial] along with
physical health problems can be present. Hence it is important to maintain
emotional wellness with simple practical ways. Here are some ways to
overcome stress and anxiety.
- While solving physical problems associated with osteoporosis is important,
it’s equally important to treat your mental well-being. Break tasks into
manageable bits and deal with them one at a time.
a. EXERCISE - Certain exercises can also help prevent further bone loss
while you’re working to rebuild bone mass through supplementation and
lifestyle changes. Weight bearing exercise, Walking, Jogging, Climbing
Stairs, music/dance and movement, tai chi, Pilates, Barre and Yoga.
Listening to music when working out helps you move to the beat or flow
of the music, but it also has stress-relieving effects. Work with a
physical therapist - they help you design an exercise program that’s
best for you and find safe and effective ways to do your day-to-day
activities. Be in touch with bone health care team (physician, clinical
nurse, pharmacist, dietitian, physiotherapist, occupational therapist,
endocrinologist and geriatrician.
b. MEDIDATE - Taking a short amount of time out of your daily routine to
practice these techniques can add to your overall quality of life. When
practiced regularly, visual meditation allows your brain to develop new
pathways that can help with some of the following symptoms associated
with high anxiety levels: Hard-to-Control Worries, Poor Sleep,
Irritability etc.
c. BREATHING- Properly practice mindful breathing exercises to ease
stress and anxiety. Try to practice mindful breathing at least 15
minutes a day. If the thought of finding 15 spare minutes adds to your
stress level, start with 5 or even 3. Find a position (sitting or lying down)
that helps you feel calm and relaxed. Take it one breath at a time.
Notice how each breath feels as you inhale and exhale. If you notice
your mind wandering, simply redirect your thoughts to your breathing.
d. SPEND TIME WITH NATURE - Beauty of nature has a way of easing
the mind. Whether you’re upset, depressed or simply have a headache,
tuning into the sounds, smells, and beauty of nature can have a positive
effect
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e. EAT NUTRITENT DENSE FOOD - Choosing nutrient-dense foods can
provide natural stress relief. Eliminate behaviours that are bad for your
bones, such as smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol (more
than two drinks a day) or beverages that contain caffeine (more than
four per day). Get the recommended daily intake of calcium – ideally
from food. Adopt a bone-healthy lifestyle - Your bone health is not just
a medical concern. It requires attention to your lifestyle. Also make
sure to decrease the risk of the fracture.
f. BUILDING SUPPORT SYSTEM - Friends and family are a great support
system. However, it may be difficult for them to understand exactly
what you’re going through, especially if they haven’t gone through it
themselves. For some, it can be hard to speak openly about difficult
subjects with those closest to them. One may feel that you’re adding
some sort of burden to them when talking about hard to discuss topics-
although, they’d likely disagree.
E.g. Fear of falling in kitchen and bathroom can be a major concern for them.
Changes in your appearance due to osteoporosis also can affect your emotional
health. Many people with osteoporosis have abnormal curving of the spine and
can’t stand up straight, when you see yourself so stooped, it can have an emotional
impact. You also may lose height. Abnormal posture and deformity may cause you
to feel embarrassed. You may become reluctant to be seen in public so you don’t
go out. But staying away from friends and family can lead to loneliness, which can
lead to depression. Self-esteem may also be affected by osteoporosis. Physical
problems, like carrying or lifting, left many of those we talked to with a feeling
of losing control and realisation that they need to be dependent on others and
can lead to low confidence which also affects personal and professional life.
Sexuality and intimacy are important aspects of life. Sexual desire may not be
affected by the disease, but there may be physical limitations imposed by chronic
pain, fatigue or low energy levels, and fear of fracture. A person with
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osteoporosis may worry about not being able to please a healthy partner. They
may have anxiety either about their own bodies or about causing harm to their
partner may result in impotence. Other factors that may contribute to
unsatisfactory sexual relations include: Changes in physical appearance, Negative
self-image, Limited mobility, dealing with everyday survival, Altered emotional
state, Avoidance etc.
- Several therapies have been adapted for use with elderly people, including
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).
These two therapies emphasize the importance of irrational or dysfunctional
beliefs in the creation of emotional disturbance, and tend to use a number of
cognitive, emotive, and behavioral methods of disputing and changing these
beliefs for more functional ones.
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1. ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION OF INDIA TRUST (AFI)
AFI works with an aim to take Osteoporosis and Bone Health knowledge to
common people, for which they undertake various communication programmes.
The whole idea of making AFI was to carry out organized social work in the field
of osteoporosis and place this issue on the National Health Agenda.AFI regularly
holds awareness and free health check-up camps where Free Bone Mineral
Densitometry test and medicine distribution is done. For AFI it’s an on-going
effort, they have tried to make people conscious by successfully organizing free
BMD camps, literature distribution and education through video presentations
and also publishing articles on Osteoporosis. The organization also wishes to have
creative partnership with diverse organizations to realize their goals as no health
campaign is complete without involving members from other social fields.
2. HELPAGE INDIA
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4. INTERNATIONAL OSTEOPOROSIS FOUNDATION:
Promoting our Global Network-IOF works with organizations around the world
to improve bone, muscle and joint health
Global Campaigning- IOF leads a global movement for change to raise public
awareness and promote action on bone, muscle and joint health.
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• https://www.algaecal.com/expert-insights/emotional-wellness-
osteoporosis/
• https://www.osteoporosis.ca/multimedia/pdf/publications/Living%20Well
%20with%20Osteoporosis%20booklet_EN.pdf.pdf
• https://healthtalk.org/osteoporosis/feelings-and-thoughts-about-
osteoporosis
• https://www.orthopaedicinstitute.com/new/how-osteoporosis-can-affect-
your-emotional-health
• http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1023017013225
• https://healthtalk.org/osteoporosis/impact-on-home-life-due-to-
osteoporosis
• https://www.24hrcares.com/osteoporosis/home-care/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/symptoms-
causes/syc-
20351968#:~:text=Having%20a%20parent%20or%20sibling,draw%20fro
m%20as%20they%20age
• https://www.osteoporosis.ca/multimedia/pdf/publications/Living%20Well
%20with%20Osteoporosis%20booklet_EN.pdf.pdf
• https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/overall-health/
• https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/addressing-the-
acute-need-of-geriatrics/article8039498.ec
• https://www.arthfound.org/oesteroporosis.php
• https://www.helpageindia.org/bone-health-with-ageing/
• https://bonehealthindia.weebly.com/
• https://reliva.in/osteoporosis/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351925
• https://mydoctorfinder.com/healthy-blogs/view-article/6-causes-of-
osteoporosis
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