My 90-year-old mother has severe arthritis, depression, anxiety and some other issues. She also has a history of many falls, balance issues, TIAs, etc and has used a walker since last year. We have caregivers in her home. After a bout with pneumonia in January, she has had a steady decline in strength and mobility. She is no longer able to get up out our of a chair. Someone else has to lift her entirely without her help. More recently, she seems unable to walk with her walker. I don't think any of this is helped by the fact that she really wants to go join my dad in heaven. We are wondering where this is headed. Do people fade away and die this way? Do they get bedridden and then linger on in a weakened condition? My siblings and I are discussing options like continuing the in-home care, nursing home, etc. Would she be headed to a bed unit at a nursing home, too far gone for assisted living? She still feeds herself. I guess we really want to know what to expect with this kind of decline.
With her being totally unable to help with her transfers, I'd look at the options, unless you particularly want to bring in outside help around the clock and have the means to do it. I'd try to make sure she wasn't in pain. Sometimes pain can cause people to be less mobile and depressed. I might explore those things with her doctor and see if it might help.
Does she have dementia? Some people with dementia seem to forget how to walk. Most of the ones that I have seen with advanced dementia are in wheelchairs and are not able to move much.
There is no way to predict your mom's future, but I might talk to her doctor and see if he has a prognosis. There are some patients who linger that way for years. There is no way to know for sure that I am aware of.
Does your mom have caregivers 24/7? If she can't get out of a chair on her own she needs 24/7 care.
Your mom will continue to decline. No one can say for how long or in what phases she'll go through. I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you to go through.