By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men and women residing in assisted living facilities are more likely than their peers who are still living independently to have three key risk factors for brittle bones and fractures.

But the good news is that all three of these risk factors -- low bone density, low levels of vitamin D, and worse physical function -- can be reversed, Dr. Anne M. Kenny of the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington told Reuters Health. And people in assisted living, she added, have special advantages when it comes to tackling these problems.

Assisted living facilities provide residents help with activities of daily living such as cooking, laundry and housekeeping, and are intended to serve people who are no longer capable of living completely on their own, but do not need to be in a nursing home.

To compare osteoporosis risk factors among assisted living residents to people of similar age still living in the community, Kenny and her team looked at 37 assisted living facility residents and 77 matched controls.

There was no difference between the two groups in terms of self-reports of falls, fractures, or osteoporosis. But the researchers did find that the assisted living residents had lower bone density and significantly lower stores of vitamin D in their bodies. They also performed worse on tests of physical function -- for example, how long they could walk in six minutes or how quickly they could get up from a chair and begin walking.

Forty-six percent of the assisted living residents were classified as "frail," compared to 21 percent of the community dwellers. A frail older person tends to be weaker and more vulnerable to illness, although this condition can also be reversible.

People in assisted living have their meals prepared for them, so they are likely to be well-nourished, Kenny noted, which can help with maintaining bone density. Low bone mineral density can be treated with calcium and vitamin D supplements, and medications can reverse loss of bone density, she added.

People with low stores of vitamin D can replenish them with supplements, according to the researcher. Finally, Kenny said, older people can restore their physical performance with a few simple exercises. Many assisted living facilities already offer exercise classes to residents, she noted.

"If you're at assisted living, lobby to have some kind of strength training or balance training offered there," Kenny said. People can even try doing a few simple balance and strengthening exercises on their own, she added; for some suggestions, she advises checking out "Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute of Aging" at http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/ExerciseGuide/.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, January 2009.

Related MedlinePlus Pages:

• Assisted Living
• Osteoporosis
• Seniors' Health