Family/caregiver influence on osteoporosis management for older people: an integrative review

An integrative literature review was conducted to understand family/caregiver influence on osteoporosis management for older people. Findings include caregivers’ overprotection, caregivers’ risks for fragility fractures due to caregiving role, poor bone health in caregivers, and caregivers’ burden and facilitators. Caregivers should be included in bone health and discharge planning. Literature on family/caregiver influence on osteoporosis management for older people is sparse. Older people are prone to osteoporosis and fragility fractures due to their age, often triggering the need for a caregiver after experiencing a fragility fracture. These fractures pose significant costs to the patient and health systems and are projected to increase with the aging population. This study applied an integrative literature review methodology to key literature findings on family/caregiver influence on osteoporosis management for older people. Key findings include caregivers’ tendency to overprotect persons who experience hip fracture by limiting mobilization, thus impeding recovery, caregivers’ risks for their own fragility fractures due to the demands of their caregiving role, risks of poor bone health in caregivers, and caregivers’ experience of significant burden for which facilitators have been identified. Family caregivers of older people with osteoporosis have unique needs and require support and resources, especially after their loved one experiences a hip fracture. Informal caregivers must be considered in bone health education and discharge planning. They should be considered in the creation of osteoporosis guidelines and within the work of fracture liaison services. More research is needed to increase understanding about family caregiver influence on osteoporosis management.