Mom had a stroke last year. She refuses to get up and walk. I have had PT here at the house. (Didn't Help) I am considering outside therapy at another facility. She has stage 1-2 vascular dementia, insulin dependency as well as COPD. Any suggestions what to do with her? She is getting weaker in the legs.
Do you know WHY your mom refuses to get up and walk? Is she just doing what I described my mom would love to do? Is it pain? Is it fear of falling? Would she do PT with the therapists? My mom will work with the professionals but will NEVER do anything on her own (even before dementia came creeping in).
It's very frustrating when we care way more about their health and mobility than they do. My mom is 79 and will be discharged from PT this week as they've resolved the initial issue but I know she'll do less and less and end up in pain again. Maybe next time I'll just say more pain meds is the solution. And I've told her she will end up in a wheelchair and then a nursing home. Didn't phase her as much as I expected.
Your mother has dementia and COPD and is probably non compliant with PT b/c she's tired. What's going to change at 'another facility' that's going to make her PT compliant? Once dementia kicks in, they're generally non compliant with everything ANYWAY. If you can't beat em, join em. That's my philosophy. Your mother has earned the right to say NO in her old age. Allow her to. That's what 'to do with her'.........buy her a nice wheelchair or get one free from Medicare, and that's that.
If you can no longer accommodate her living in your home with a wheelchair, look into Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing. My mother did great in Assisted Living and then Memory Care when her dementia progressed to the point where AL was no longer feasible.
Good luck!
I have seen two people who chose to be bedridden.
One person was just done and felt like they would die soon anyway so no point.
The person realized bedridden would mean more attention and people doing for her. She’d sit in the bed with a happy smirk as family brought her magazines and treats and fluffed her pillows.
Do that as well: play her favorite music, promise a reward that's reasonable and helpful. If that doesn't work, it may be as CWillie suggests.
Most of the people in you see in wheelchairs at the nursing home aren't there because of broken bones, they have just run out of the strength/energy to remain upright. Given her complicated health challenges instead of pushing her to regain function I think it may be time to consider using a wheelchair, focusing instead on retaining her ability to stand and transfer and perhaps walk a few steps.