I think a lot of women are frightened about the prospect of developing certain diseases like maybe breast cancer or skin cancer. But I haven’t talked to too many women who have expressed concern about getting osteoporosis.

I used to be one of these women. Although I was dealing with all sorts of health issues from my hysterectomy, the idea that I’d someday be diagnosed with osteoporosis was not even a blip on my radar. Then I found out I had osteopenia, and all bets were off.

By now, you probably know that I’ve had to deal with more than a few health issues as the result of getting a complete hysterectomy at the age of 42. You might have also found it as interesting as I have to learn just how many of these problems were tied to unbalanced hormone levels.

Screening for bone loss in older adults can be done as infrequently as every five years, according to Canadian researchers who looked at 9,423 people, ages 25 to 85.

They found that women ages 50 to 54 had the most pronounced bone loss of all the participants -- 1.3 percent. The researchers said this decrease is within the margin of error of most bone density screening machines, which means that amount of bone loss is not as significant as previously believed, CBC News reported.

I don't think there is anything more feared among the elderly than becoming totally dependent on others for help and perhaps being sent to a nursing home because they aren't able to care for themselves.

Fear of becoming dependent is the biggest concern for the elderly Cabrini religious sisters I have cared for more than 26 years. It turns out that suffering a debilitating hip fracture is one of most common reasons a person is sent to a nursing home. And when that happens, all too often people don't get the treatment they need to prevent future fractures and more pain and disability.

By Amanda Gardner
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

SATURDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- A drug used to treat osteoporosis lowered the risk of breast cancer recurrence in premenopausal women with early breast cancer.

The Austrian researchers also found that women who took Zometa (zoledronic acid) had a 30 percent lower risk of the cancer spreading to the bone, with other benefits as well.