Doctor and senior woman wearing facemasks during coronavirus and flu outbreak. Virus protection. COVID-2019..

A new tool has shown promise in predicting fracture risk among long-term care residents.

Researchers at Boston’s Hebrew SeniorLife developed the Fracture Risk Assessment in Long-term Care, or FRAiL. They used a cohort of nearly 420,000 nursing home residents, identifying which factors stood out as unique to facility-dwelling seniors. 

They found 15 characteristics were linked to an increased risk of hip fracture, including dementia severity, ability to walk independently, prior falls and wandering.

Findings appeared in The Journals of Gerontology