She had a hip replacement done for her fracture, although she had never had arthritis problems with her hip. So far, she is recovering well in a rehab hospital and beginning to walk with a walker. We were wondering why the fracture wasn't fixed and why a hip replacement was necessary?

Of particular concern are hip fractures as they carry a high death rate, especially since the elderly often have multiple illnesses and functional impairments as well. A hip fracture is a partial or complete break in the upper portion of the femur (thigh bone).

Adults who experienced a fall-related hip fracture and lived in a more deprived neighborhood spent fewer days at home following the fracture.