Suggestion. Take mom outside in nature or your patio and have her exposed to sunlight for about 15 minutes. It help lift her spirits. If she is bored sitting there, she may want to move around more and that will get her to exercise a little bit. It is easier to "move around" when youre outside vs. when youre inside.
Did your mom get any time in a rehab facility after the break? I'm kind of wondering why they sent her home unless she had reached the max# days in rehab without improving. She would then need to be reclassified and possibly moved into residential care.
The elderly and exercises is a dicey situation. Many of that generation are from the time when you stayed in bed, perfectly still until you healed. And you might not heal. Pain was to be avoided at all costs. The idea that you exercise through it to get better is totally preposterous.
Like the other said, there could be mental decline involved, other injuries, undisclosed pain, or the inability to comply.
If she is bedfast as you describe, make sure to turn her every two hours to avoid pressure sores. Skincare on the whole back of the body is very critical to its integrity. Clean, dry, no pressure.
If she has not regained walking in six months, she is not going to walk again. The need for a catheter suggests loss of muscle control as well. Osteoporosis can lead to lots of tiny fractures in many places, which is VERY painful. Focus on pain control, comfort care.
Feeling, the reason I ask about dementia is that my mom had a fractured hip for several days that we didn't know about. It didn't show up on xray when she fell. It was only after the PT started noticing that she wasn't bearing weight on one leg that they resent her to the hospital for more xrays.
Sometimes, with dementia, people lose the ability to express that they are in pain. My mom can no longer say " it hurts" or point to what is causing pain. She simply starts to weep.
Have you spoken to mom's orthopedist and her PT about what realistic treatment goals are? Has the PT said that mom is not expected to walk again?
Your mom may have age related decline that prevents her from reasoning about doing exercises.
What caused her fall to start with?
You might discuss her behavior with her doctor. Maybe she is just in too much pain. Maybe she can't understand what you are asking or maybe she isn't capable of understanding the benefits of movement.
I think I would get an honest opinion from her doctor. Sometimes, getting back up and walking is another opportunity to have another fall and fracture. Also, in some seniors, the fracture happens, then the fall. I would be very careful with her limbs. What about having her use a wheelchair? Is she up for that?
What does your Mom say is the reason she doesn't want to do the exercises? For example: It hurts my leg or I don't feel safe unless the therapist is here helping me or My back hurts too much or ? If she has Medicare (assuming USA), ask her doctor to order more home care therapy. From a different agency with other therapists. Also, ask for an OT to come out and teach her to be independent in care from a wheelchair until she can walk well again. As far as your direct question how to get her to exercise...address her reasons for not doing the exercises, offer her a reward for completing them, reduce the exercises to several short sessions, put on some dance music from her youth, open the blinds, brighten the room, approach with a happy attitude. Put forth a happy, good effort and get whatever little bit you can out of her. Keep a log of what was accomplished so you can see her progress to encourage yourself as well as her. Also, get both PT and OT in. Maybe she can benefit from a brief stay in a rehabilitation hospital where they don't take NO for an answer. Good luck!
babalou, she got some PT at home, but the therapist thought she should be standing after a couple of weeks of exercises- she moved on to lifting my mom into a wheelchair- the lifting, i told her could cause a fracture- and from there the therapist was all about putting in ramps for the wheelchair- her focus stopped being about my mom regaining strength-
She's 91, has osteoporosis and has been bedridden since aug-when she fell and fractured her fibula- she has had a catheter since then because she can't walk and is dependent on me for all of her basic needs- I have to prod her more and more to do exercises that would help her regain strength to stand and hopefully walk
I'm not sure what your mom's condition is. If you provide more details about her age, condition, mental state, etc. it might help others offer some suggestions that might help.
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Did your mom get any time in a rehab facility after the break?
I'm kind of wondering why they sent her home unless she had reached the max# days in rehab without improving. She would then need to be reclassified and possibly moved into residential care.
The elderly and exercises is a dicey situation. Many of that generation are from the time when you stayed in bed, perfectly still until you healed. And you might not heal. Pain was to be avoided at all costs. The idea that you exercise through it to get better is totally preposterous.
Like the other said, there could be mental decline involved, other injuries, undisclosed pain, or the inability to comply.
If she is bedfast as you describe, make sure to turn her every two hours to avoid pressure sores. Skincare on the whole back of the body is very critical to its integrity. Clean, dry, no pressure.
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Sometimes, with dementia, people lose the ability to express that they are in pain. My mom can no longer say " it hurts" or point to what is causing pain. She simply starts to weep.
Have you spoken to mom's orthopedist and her PT about what realistic treatment goals are? Has the PT said that mom is not expected to walk again?
What caused her fall to start with?
You might discuss her behavior with her doctor. Maybe she is just in too much pain. Maybe she can't understand what you are asking or maybe she isn't capable of understanding the benefits of movement.
I think I would get an honest opinion from her doctor. Sometimes, getting back up and walking is another opportunity to have another fall and fracture. Also, in some seniors, the fracture happens, then the fall. I would be very careful with her limbs. What about having her use a wheelchair? Is she up for that?
As far as your direct question how to get her to exercise...address her reasons for not doing the exercises, offer her a reward for completing them, reduce the exercises to several short sessions, put on some dance music from her youth, open the blinds, brighten the room, approach with a happy attitude. Put forth a happy, good effort and get whatever little bit you can out of her. Keep a log of what was accomplished so you can see her progress to encourage yourself as well as her. Also, get both PT and OT in. Maybe she can benefit from a brief stay in a rehabilitation hospital where they don't take NO for an answer. Good luck!
I'm not sure what you mean when you say "the lifting, I told her, could cause a fracture"?