At the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Jason R. Falvey, DPT, PhD, is working to improve recovery after hip fracture by addressing not just medical care, but the conditions where older adults live.
Hip fractures can have lasting consequences beyond the initial injury.
“Older adults who have a hip fracture are substantially more likely to require nursing home care in the next year,” Falvey said, explaining that as confidence in walking declines and function doesn’t fully return, many experience increasing disability and social isolation.
Hip fracture recovery, he added, is often shaped by the environments people return to. Falvey’s research shows that where someone lives can play a major role in how well they are able to age in place after serious injuries.
“Simple things like broken and cracked sidewalks can impede mobility and make it hard to get around with walkers or wheelchairs,” he said, and pointed to local infrastructure as an example, “Transportation in Baltimore is often unreliable and difficult to access for people with mobility limitations.”
Having to walk even short distances outside is a significant barrier to accessing basic needs like groceries or medications for older adults in Baltimore.
To help bridge these gaps, Falvey developed the Enhancing Rehabilitation to Improve Community Health (ENRICH) program, which connects patients with community-based support. At the core of the program are community health workers who guide older adults in accessing critical resources, including transportation and durable medical equipment.
The program also extends rehabilitation into real-world settings to help patients regain independence. “This might include a physical therapist helping somebody get onto a city bus or train or walking three blocks to a grocery store,” he noted.
In the following Q&A, Falvey shares more about the ENRICH program and how such community-based care can help older adults thrive after hip injury.
