My mom with dementia fell last month at her AL and broke her hip. She had surgery and was sent to rehab so she could return to her AL. Once at rehab (which was renowned for getting patients up and out quickly) Mom had a different agenda! She was quite comfortable in her bed, thank you very much! She refused to go to/participate in physical therapy. Her medicare ran out after a week & they didn't take her medicaid (we live on the border of NH & VT) so we had to find a place for her STAT. Unfortunately, because she refused to get up-she couldn't go back to her AL (which breaks my heart-she had her own room w/ a bathroom and all the residents and staff ADORED her). We had to face the fact that she was beyond level 1 AL now and should get nursing home care. We grabbed the first bed we could get at a county nursing home 45 mins away w/ the caveat that we are on a waiting list with 2 local ones with reputable memory care units. Mom still wants to stay in bed all day (stubborn Vermonter) and is unable to tell the nurses when she needs to go to the bathroom (I think she got too used to the catheter in the hospital). My question is, is there hope that the nursing home would be able to get her back up and moving around? Could this be a sign of the big decline going forward?
4 Answers
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
Prepare for the worse and expect the best, that's how I go from day to day with my dad.
Best of luck getting to the bottom of what's going on.
ADVERTISEMENT
She's been seeing a neurologist on a regular basis-wondering if she needs a follow up after this trauma?
I feel like she's scared to get up and fall and that she's getting depressed and confused with all the setting changes: hospital to rehab to the nursing home. We ask her if she's in any pain and she says no.
Somethings happens. Their hip breaks and so they fall. Or they have a stroke and they fall.
It sounds as though their might be something other than stubbornness going on. Has she been examined by a neurologist or psychiatrist? Anyone done an extensive workup for dementia (I don't mean just a quick memory test. Needs to include an assessment of her reasoning abikities).
If she is unable to tell nurses she needs to pee, is it also possible she can't tell them she's in pain? Or other things?
Bring in a doctor who can determine was is going on brainwise and you'll be able to make a better plan.