Where A Senior Lives Can Hinder Their Recovery From A Broken Hip, Experts Say

Key TakeawaysSeniors are less likely to regain independence following a hip fracture if they live in a poorer neighborhoodPeople in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods spent about 23 fewer days at homeThat time was instead spent recuperating in hospitals or nursing homes.TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Where a senior resides might factor into whether they lose their independence to a broken hip, a new study says.Elderly folks are less able to return home following a fall-related hip fracture if they live in a poorer neighborhood, researchers found.Seniors living in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods spent about 23 fewer days at home during the year after their injury, compared to those from wealthy locales, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open.“Older adults in neighborhoods like West Baltimore face compounded challenges — limited ability to get to rehabilitation services, fewer supports for caregivers and neighborhood factors like broken sidewalks that impede mobility,” said senior researcher Jason Falvey, an associate professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation science at the University of Maryland.“These realities make it harder to regain independence after a hip fracture,” he said in a news release.Every year, more than 300,000 seniors 65 and older experience a hip fracture, with 88% resulting from falls, researchers said in background notes.Fewer than 35% regain the independence they had prior to their broken hip, and as many as 20% require long-term care, researchers wrote.For the new study, researchers relied on data from the Area Deprivation Index, a metric that judges how disadvantaged a neighborhood is based on factors like income, education, employment and housing quality.They used this data to compare outcomes among more than 52,000 older adults with an average age of 82 who sustained a hip fracture during a fall. These injuries occurred between July 2010 and December 2019.The team specifically looked at the number of days a person spent at home following their hip fracture, as it shows how well a person regains their independence after their fall. If they’re not at home, the person is being treated at a hospital or nursing home.Results showed that those living in the most deprived neighborhoods tended to be either Black people or Hispanic individuals, and they were more likely to be eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.Elderly folks in impoverished neighborhoods spent nearly 9% fewer days at home following a hip fracture, compared to those in the wealthiest areas.Likewise, those in middle-income neighborhoods spent 5% fewer days at home compared to those in well-to-do places, researchers found.This shows that two people with the same injury and surgery can have very different recoveries, depending on where they live, researchers said.“These findings point to the urgent need for community-tailored recovery programs and policy interventions that go beyond hospital walls,” Falvey said. “By investing in community-level resources, caregiver supports and safe neighborhood infrastructure, we can help more older adults recover and age in place no matter where they live.”More informationYale Medicine has more on geriatric hip fractures.SOURCES: University of Maryland, news release, Dec. 23, 2025; JAMA Network Open, Dec. 23, 2025 .What This Means For YouSeniors who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods should inquire about support programs that might help them return home sooner after a hip injury..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter