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Thanks for your thoughts. We need them. It has been one of the most amazing things I have seen in 60 years of life. Mom went from "sundowning", talking to invisible people, seeing things not there, assisted feeding, to the current state of awareness.
Do you know if she hit her head during her fall? If so, then this may explain her "improved mental capacity."
Beware, it may be a very temporary condition. During this time, it's important to have any legal family matters addressed. Quickly.
I have a neighbor that's currently undergoing therapy for hip replacement surgery this summer. There is a lot of stretching, massaging, and heat therapy as both of us have weak muscles, his as a function of age and mine from staying off my feet for three months. Those massage guns really help to get rid of the soreness in the hips and thighs before and after walking.
I have a 92 year old neighbor who had a hip replacement 2 years ago and he was walking with a cane in a couple months. The main thing it depends on is how bad your mother wants to get up and walk.
This. My 78 year old father was in ok health prior to his fall and hip break. His attitude was awful after and he never tried to much to rehab it. And he was living on his own with my mother. His attitude doomed him. It was a bevy of issues after that. Gone in three years.
This. My 78 year old father was in ok health prior to his fall and hip break. His attitude was awful after and he never tried to much to rehab it. And he was living on his own with my mother. His attitude doomed him. It was a bevy of issues after that. Gone in three years.
I fully agree about the mental aspect of rehab at that age. Attitude. My Mom will complain but she will do the exercises and rehab to the fullest extent. I saw her doing her rehab at 11 pm one night 6 months ago before this latest incident. That is what we will emphasize to Mom. Your choice. Work hard to improve quality of life or give up.
Mom moves into the skilled nursing facility tomorrow.
It makes no sense whatsoever that her signs of dementia have disappeared; it is completely contradictory to the known science of hospital induced increased dementia. Something is off here, and I'm wondering if it is that she wasn't managing her meds right, took too many of them, or suffered from such lonliness living alone (?) that she talked to invisible people because of it.
Whatever the reason, seize this good fortune, get DPOA signed for both health and finances, executor, if not done already.
Mom. 89-year-old showing rapid signs of vascular dementia. She fell during the night and broke a hip. Surgery, ball joint. Rehab stint at the hospital's rehab unit.
Our family found a good memory care facility and plans were made to admit Mom. We then received word Mom would need to be able to put some weight on that leg before release to the memory care place (state regulation). That would entail moving Mom to a skilled nursing facility to rehab the leg, then move to the memory care facility. One person (gatekeeper) at the current hospital rehab place seems to be killing the move directly to the memory care facility. The family is willing to pay for rehab at the nice Memory Care place if possible.
Memory care facility will do their own evaluation this week of Mom's progress. The rehab place would then meet to discuss Mom's status (absent family members).
The fascinating thing s my Mom's dementia has completely "calmed down". It's as if she has no dementia at all. No UTI as that was checked. It has been amazing. Talking clearly, feeding herself, recalling memories, etc.
Still with me? My big question is can we expect my Mom to be rehabbed in a skilled nursing faculty enough to put some weight on that leg/hip to pass muster? We still want to move Mom to the nice Memory Care place. Does anyone have experience with rehabbing this injury at that age? The Hospital rehab place is doing rehab but taking it slow. Btw, my Mom only requires one person to help her to the wheelchair and to the bathroom.
Age is not always the deciding factor. I've worked in nursing home rehab for 24 years. I've worked with 95 years olds who rehab well and go back home, and I've worked with 70 year olds who never walk again. Many factors at play including overall health. The dementia is usually the factor that interferes with therapy, as they don't remember breaking their hip and have no idea why it hurts, so they refuse to put weight on it. But if her dementia isn't that bad, there's no reason why she can't. I will say however, that rehab is not the same now because of Covid as it was before. There's no going down to the gym these days, everyone is isolated in a private room and therapists see them in their room. No parallel bars or other equipment access in most rehabs. But she will still get therapy. And there's no reason to think that because she's 89 she won't rehab.
She doesn't necessarily have to walk in any case. The memory facility really just needs her to be able to transfer from bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to toilet, etc. They need her to be able to put weight on the leg to stand and turn with one person assist, but I highly doubt she has to actually walk to be admitted. And there is no reason she can't accomplish being able to transfer in rehab.
It makes no sense whatsoever that her signs of dementia have disappeared; it is completely contradictory to the known science of hospital induced increased dementia. Something is off here, and I'm wondering if it is that she wasn't managing her meds right, took too many of them, or suffered from such lonliness living alone (?) that she talked to invisible people because of it.
Whatever the reason, seize this good fortune, get DPOA signed for both health and finances, executor, if not done already.
We have taken care of all the POA and health directives after my Father passed 3 years ago.
I can't explain what has happened. We did not get the MRI on her due to the circumstances of the fall and the doctor out of his office to read the MRI for 3 weeks. We are enjoying my Mom's state of mind while it lasts. Right now, I say she would be a better candidate for assisted living over memory care.
We placed Mom in a skilled nursing facility this past weekend. They have noted how strong she is and have begun rehab. It's tough to only be able to visit via a window (10 day quarantine), and her face showed some sadness, but she is a trooper. The staff is wonderful and Mom said the food is great. The first 48 hours are the toughest. I hope Mom can be able to use a walker and not be relegated to a wheelchair until that times comes.
This is good news! Always a good sign if she says the food is great. Sounds like a promising start and I hope she continues to gain strength and positive surprises like these. Your Mom does sound like a trooper and you do too. Good thoughts to all of you.
I had a relative break her femur just below the hip joint and had a rod inserted (age 93).
She was determined to recover and always was a true “rule-follower”. She faithfully did the exercises the PT showed her every day even after the weeks of rehab and home visits. She graduated from a walker to a cane, and could even walk without a cane on level surfaces. I was more nervous about that than her!
There was no dementia involved plus she weighed around 105 lbs., if that makes a difference. She lived another 3 years pain free. Even her surgeon said attitude is a huge part of the recovery process.
Best of luck, OP. I would have your mother’s meds checked out carefully as maybe there had been some bad interactions before. Glad she is enjoying food now, which is always a good sign.
My mother had the same surgery at 90. She walked again with a walker.
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