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After three months in and out of hospital and transitional care due to broken femur, then uti s she is still depressed

I agree with others that the goal for her is now not happiness but rather protection, comfort and peace. She may need meds to help her address her depression since she can't do it on her own anymore.
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Reply to Geaton777
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I saw both my parents lose what happiness was for them. It’s not uncommon after the losses of friends, family, and health that come with aging. Many times I held my dad’s hand and simply said I understood. He was helped by a small dose of Zoloft that helped with the sadness, something to consider if her doctor agrees. Otherwise, accept that it’s there and one of many issues without fixes
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Reply to Daughterof1930
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Of course she is depressed. Think about it, a hospital stay sharing a room with a stranger. Laying in bed all day. Then rehab, people forcing you to do PT and sitting around a facility for the rest of the day and sharing your room with a stranger. You've lost your independence. Anesthesia can affect people for a while. The last thing I want is to be in a hospital and then rehab for 3 months.

See her doctor about some meds.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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You will probably have to accept that she will not be happy anywhere. This is so often the case with seniors. So it stops being about making them happy and more about keeping them safe, managing pain and keeping agitation/anxiety levels at the lowest levels possible. This is done with medications. Sometimes anti-depresant medication can help too. 'Happy' isn't in the cards for her anymore. Comfortably managed should be the goal now. I call it old-age happiness.
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Reply to BurntCaregiver
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Depression is something to be discussed with her professionals, so this calls for a trip to doctors to see what might help, ultimately, but.......

I think that realistically you must also ask yourself a few questions:
1. Was my loved one always a bit this way, or have I witnessed a serious change in life satisfaction and coping?
2. How long should I wait to see if the return to a more stable and normal environment helps?
3. How much of this is NORMAL, and she's just venting? She needs someone to HEAR her?

I say over and over again here on AC, that--as an 82 y/o--I can attest to the fact that this simply isn't a "happy time". Aging is tough. We face loss upon loss and there is only a downward trajectory.

I think one of the major problems I see in our questioners is that they somehow "feel responsible for their elder's happiness".
You aren't. Don't try to "fix" things. You can't fix this.
Be willing to listen. Don't negate what your loved one says or try to "jolly her out of it". Let her say how tough it is. Tell her you are sorry. Ask if you can do anything to help her.

Good luck.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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