The often deadly impact of hip fractures in Northern Ireland’s care homes could be cut in half by increasing dairy intake, a nutrition expert has said.
Dr Sandra Iuliano from the University of Melbourne, who is visiting Belfast on Wednesday to meet with health officials, has shared the findings from a peer-reviewed study of the issue in Australian care homes.
Applying it to the north, the findings suggested that three-and-a-half servings of dairy per day - from milk, cheese and yoghurt - could result in 1,600 less falls a year in care homes, a 46% reduction in hip fractures and 33% fractures overall.
This would also save the health service around £737,000 a year as well as another £726,800 for care homes.
Speaking to the Irish News, Dr Iuliano said fractures could be a devastating experience for older people.
“Most of the burden for hip fractures would come from people in their 80s and 90s, so with an ageing population that will go up,” she said.
“Up to half of people can die within six months of a hip fracture. That’s also because a lot of older people will have other conditions and co-morbidities.
“They could need to go through surgery. They have lower reserves so they may not come back to their full self. They’re a very vulnerable group.”
In the controlled environment of care homes, she said falls usually took place because of weaker muscles.
“There’s lots of reasons that people fall, but in care homes because the environment is controlled it’s usually because of weaker muscles.
“You see that with older people struggling to get up from a chair. That means they’re less able to prevent the fall from occurring. So this is about keeping muscle function.”
She continued: “It’s also not a pleasant end of life for people that have suffered a hip fracture. They can’t go back to normal function or the things they used to do as they’re in pain.
“It’s actually quite a physically and mentally traumatic end to their life.
“You have these quite clinical healthcare costs, but there’s also the emotional burden on loved ones and care homes that need to provide more assistance.”
In Australia, she said a difference is being made at ground level by training chefs and cooks in care homes as well as work to change government policy on standards in elderly care.
“Even though the trial was done in a care home, there’s no reason why others with a poor dairy intake wouldn’t benefit from this advice as well.”
In 2023, Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency said the cost of falls among the over-65s cost the health service around £375m over two years.
Dr Carole Lewis, nutritionist at Dairy Council NI, said: “Extra dairy foods can be incorporated into existing menus in a way that suits care home residents and indeed all older people, whether that’s a milky drink or serving cheese as a snack in between meals”.
She added: “By providing an estimation for Northern Ireland, Dr Iuliano demonstrates the potential of dairy as a cost-effective means to positive ageing both to help improve the wellbeing of older people while saving the public purse”.
