In the meantime we are trying to get her into an inpatient rehab facility until they operate. She is too weak and unsteady to use a walker. She can’t hop, the physical therapists at the hospital realized that. Even after the operation I fear she will be confined to a wheelchair. I do have some modifications at my home I can do to help her some but if she doesn’t get out of the wheelchair I fear she will lose her mobility. If she becomes bedridden I don’t think I will be able to care for her. What are reasonable expectations? Outcomes? What should I ask the therapists. Perhaps I am only seeing the worst case scenario. Any thoughts.
Having a patient who can help themselves a lot makes you job a ton easier. She needs to be invested in getting well.
What's her overall mental state? I know people who bounce back from broken hips, knee replacements, whatever, with amazing results. And also ones that simply malinger over any illness.
They say "plan for the worst, expect the best." Plan that she'll be able to come home AND plan for backup thay she may have to move to ALF.
Most regular homes are NOT designed to accommodate wheelchairs, and Hoyer lifts--and a patient in a wheelchair is a wholes different animal.
How mobile was mom before the broken leg? That would be indication of how she may rehab.
Good luck wiht this. The unknown is hard. I can handle anything if I have all the facts!
BTW, I also cannot "hop"....most older folks don't. What a funny criteria.
After surgery, make sure she has frequent PT and encourage / facilitate her doing her exercises in between sessions.
Recently a 67-year-old friend of mine endured 4 months of nursing home in a similar situation with a badly-broken leg ... and quickly learned that staff need to be TOLD and re-TOLD to let the patient do everything that the patient CAN do. Learned helplessness was really a problem even with this highly-motivated patient.
9 months out, recovery appears to be total.
no one can predict the outcome of Your Moms Operation and all You can do is Pray and hope all will be well.
Good Luck to Your Mom and to You Choupette.
It will take time but with continued PT it can get back to normal. They can do the PT after she is discharged from the hospital in a rehab facility. Medicare paid for that and she was in about 2 months. Then when she was discharged able to get around a bit PT came to her home for several weeks. I wish you both the best!
Ask the therapists if they are working on transfers from bed to chair, toilet etc. Ask if you can attend the PT and/or OT session. A reasonable goal would be for her to transfer from bed to wheelchair (and back) with minimal assistance of one person, probably you.
Modern medicine is truly amazing. PT is crucial and keeping a positive outlook helps tremendously.
You're doing a good job by asking questions and being an advocate/voice for your mom. I pray that she has very loving, compassionate care givers in the days and months ahead—that was my mom's biggest support in her recovery. We loved and appreciated every one of her care staff. The PT's were amazing!
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