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My 83 year old aunt is in a nursing home and she broke her hip today
She has to get operated on next week. Why does all my family think she is not going to make it. Everyone keeps saying that a broken hip is basically a death sentence in an elderly person. Thoughts?
The surgeries available for hip fractures are very good and folks typically do OK during and immediately after.
If you look at the available data though the prognosis after hip fracture is pretty grim.
Extremely high mortality rate in the year following a hip fracture.
In one, there is the thought that the deconditioning and disability from the fracture, surgery and rehab leads to a shortened life span.
The more commonly cited theory is that a hip fracture is a signal event. The osteoporosis and balance issues that typically predispose the elderly to hip fractures are the tip of the iceberg. Patients who suffer a hip fracture have already begun the downward spiral which accelerates after the injury.
These studies are an aggregate of data...
Every individual is different and many, many patients do fine after surgery and live for years after with minimal disability.
I would also ignore ignorant comments about nursing homes from people who don't know any better.
To make comments about a family's decision to place a loved one in a nursing home....which is many times the absolute BEST decision for all involved....without knowing any of the facts involved....is the height of arrogance and ignorance....
My 83 year old aunt is in a nursing home and she broke her hip today
She has to get operated on next week. Why does all my family think she is not going to make it. Everyone keeps saying that a broken hip is basically a death sentence in an elderly person. Thoughts?
I don't think it's the broken hip that makes people go downhill, but surgery in general.
I just had our 87 year old neighbor for 3 weeks, he fell & broke his ribs, punctured his lung. A few years ago he had another fall; he's gone down hill since then. He now wants to get his knee done; people are advising him not to.
His lady friend passed 3 weeks before he fell; she had her hip operated on last August & has gone downhill ever since. She ended up having a part of her pacemaker done in March; then she passed in June. She was early 80's
I don't think it's the broken hip that makes people go downhill, but surgery in general.
I just had our 87 year old neighbor for 3 weeks, he fell & broke his ribs, punctured his lung. A few years ago he had another fall; he's gone down hill since then. He now wants to get his knee done; people are advising him not to.
His lady friend passed 3 weeks before he fell; she had her hip operated on last August & has gone downhill ever since. She ended up having a part of her pacemaker done in March; then she passed in June. She was early 80's
I agree with you that having a surgical procedure is very, very stressing to the body in general. My dh's uncle had a valve in his heart replaced and less than 6 months later he was diagnosed with colon cancer. I suggest that if she is going to undergo surgery you find someone who can advocate for her there and try to get as much nutrition into her in the form of whole foods and supplements as possible before the surgery. As a rule, most of the food that is served in institutional environments are woefully low in nutrition which is so important for the healing process.
I agree with you that having a surgical procedure is very, very stressing to the body in general. My dh's uncle had a valve in his heart replaced and less than 6 months later he was diagnosed with colon cancer. I suggest that if she is going to undergo surgery you find someone who can advocate for her there and try to get as much nutrition into her in the form of whole foods and supplements as possible before the surgery. As a rule, most of the food that is served in institutional environments are woefully low in nutrition which is so important for the healing process.
20yrsinBranson
I agree - as you see with my 2 examples - breaking something will affect a person - but for some reason going under anesthesia does a person in. I can't believe how fast his lady friend declined after she had her hip replaced. They also did something to her pacemaker 6 months after the hip; then she was gone a few months after that.
My 87 year old neighbor wants his knee done - his physical therapist told him not to. The PT's dad had a knee done at almost the same age & was dead within a year. The knee does not give him "pain" it goes out on him. Too risky.
I would like to zoom out (and away from the particulars of the OP's aunt) to look at a broader picture. Many hip fractures and many falls in the elderly could be prevented if people would do weight bearing exercise, for example with small hand-held weights, and balance exercises . Pilates and yoga are wonderful in this regard. And I am talking about older people - 70's and 80's. So-called "normal" aging is frequently anything but normal; rather, it is the result of inactivity.
I would like to zoom out (and away from the particulars of the OP's aunt) to look at a broader picture. Many hip fractures and many falls in the elderly could be prevented if people would do weight bearing exercise, for example with small hand-held weights, and balance exercises . Pilates and yoga are wonderful in this regard. And I am talking about older people - 70's and 80's. So-called "normal" aging is frequently anything but normal; rather, it is the result of inactivity.
Perhaps you should open a new thread about this then since it really is off topic. This advice is not going to help my aunt. She already broker her hip.
Perhaps you should open a new thread about this then since it really is off topic. This advice is not going to help my aunt. She already broker her hip.
Well, you could use the report feature and report my post to the moderator for being off-topic; perhaps the moderator will delete it and then you would feel so good.
Well, you could use the report feature and report my post to the moderator for being off-topic; perhaps the moderator will delete it and then you would feel so good.
Give me a break. Thanks so much for the compassion LOL
Last edited by KylieEve; 10-04-2010 at 12:43 PM..
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