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Can anyone here share their experience with the elderly and recovery from surgery?
My 90 year old friend Angie had her second hip replacement surgery in Feb '16 a few months after her first. We eat together at meal times along with another friend, Joyce. We've noticed that Angie's cognitive function has deteriorated significantly, she sleeps 18 hours/day, but still has a healthy appetite.
This is a lady that is truly strong but not so much anymore. Angie uses a walker as her hips slowly heal. Her family keeps her involved and do a tremendous job helping her however they are not with her as much as Joyce and I are. Our concern is founded.
Angie used to go out and walk distances before her hips got damaged from falling.
Now she can't remember what we talked about less than a minute ago. She is always tired and sleeps all the time. We are concerned about her and want to help somehow. We are afraid it is her decline to the end.
It's hard to believe they did these major surgeries on a person this old. I had a hip replacement at 72 and I've really declined in so many ways and I'm 78 soon. Many regrets about do this ELECTIVE surgery.
A friend had to do an emergency hip replacement after a fall and she was in mid 80's and declined so much after that surgery...she died at 93 but her end years were tough.
These replacements are MAJOR trauma to one's being, mentally and physically.
My mom lived to 91 and no replacements, she limped and hobbled etc...but I do that at almost 78 with hip job.
You will get comments from some here saying how Great people do with these and yes that's true. Millions upon millions are done and there are many many negative reports. Re-dos/revisions, infections, recalls of products, nerve damage (me big time), shorter/longer leg outcomes...it goes on and on. There are many forums on this replacement work and I've been a member of many and the stories....oy vaaa....
I just re-read your story about your friend and they did 2 replacements at 90!!! That is truly hard to believe. Were these elective or emergency? These are major rehabs and a person this old, good grief.
I have a friend who is 95 this year and walks miles around me, she never had a replacement. Then there is a bridge friend who is 101 early next year, she too no replacements and walks great and both these ladies have fine minds for bridge.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 06-14-2016 at 03:58 PM..
Even younger people need more sleep when they're recovering from surgery, and sometimes anesthesia seems to cause short-term memory issues. It could just be that it's taking her a while to bounce back from the surgery.
My father-in-law had hip surgery a few years ago in his mid-80s. He immediately declined very sharply -- was confused, acted like he didn't notice people talking to him, was irritable (more than usual!)... it was really scary. I did some research and found that that's a pretty common reaction that a lot of older people have to anesthesia. It usually clears up less than 3 months but it took a LOT longer than that for him -- more like 18 months. He's finally over it, although not back to what he was.
Everyone over 90 is in various stages of decline with or without hip surgery. One can only trust that she and her doctors discussed the up/downsides of surgery, anesthetics and recuperation at her age. From her described pre-surgery activity level, I suspect her response was, "I've had a long life and I would rather take a chance on impaired abilities, than spending the rest of my life unable to walk." One of the 'nice' things about dementia is that one often doesn't remember what one doesn't remember.
Pardon me, there is nothing "nice" about dementia. Both my parents had pretty sharp minds when they left us in their 90's. My body has so declined with the hip replacement at 72..I was one of the not so great outcomes. I don't know about great outcomes period. The body is so traumatized and then the artificial parts, metal/plastic....
One of the 'nice' things about dementia is that one often doesn't remember what one doesn't remember.
My dad has dementia and he cries for about 6 hours every day, despite taking medications that are supposed to prevent that. The only coherent sentence I've heard from him in the last year is "I want to die."
Anyone who thinks dementia is a peaceful way to go or that the dementia patient isn't at least partly aware of their loss has never watched a family member suffer from it. It's horrible.
More and more info out there daily about some of the drugs people are taking in today's world and advanced dementia and alz. I know back in the "old days" all today's modern drugs were not being taken by the older folks or any folks.
Unfortunately, general anesthesia in folks that old...they sometimes don't "come back" from it.....
Many hip replacements are now done using regional or spinal anesthesia, which is much less taxing on the body and allows for a faster recovery.
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