My Mom fell 2 months ago and the ortho Dr's staff kept putting off the surgery and 2 months later she np longer needs the procedure. They are trying to have her come to therapy 2x a week. We went Monday and can't or doesn't want to do the exercises. It's a social trip. We are back to walking about 2 miles a day together. I feel like the physical therapy is a bust. Should I just keep walking and nix the Therapy?
However, given her dementia, she may feel uncomfortable if she recognizes that she may have difficulty remembering the instructions. Therapists are wonderful though, and could work with her on her exercises.
Seriously, PT is wonderful, especially for muscle pain as the therapists can use a TENS device or some other modality that provides amazing relief.
For your mother, depending on her personality, she could be the star when she comes in and shows them how much she can do. From what I've seen, many elders enjoy the attention they get just by virtue of being old; some others resent being there and become uncooperative.
I think it would depend whether she could be social enough to be the star that she is.
I would, however, take her to therapy at either a hospital affiliated therapy group or a private one. I've seen that the office therapists have a lot more limited equipment, and that may be why your mother wasn't interested.
When my father needed PT, we interviewed at a few hospital affiliated locations and one private one so he could decide which he liked the best.
Hospital affiliated therapy facilities in our area used to have follow-on arrangements whereby a patient could come and work out on his/her own for about $25/month, compared to as much as $95/month at a private therapy group. That was a few years ago; there may have been some changes since there's been some consolidation and acquisition by commercial groups in the last several years.