Big fall

NizhoniGrrl

Well, it happened. Out of the blue while walking to the elevator to go to lunch my mom face-planted, breaking her left wrist and fracturing her cheekbone, eye orbit and sinus. It was brutal and she doesn’t remember anything. She’s very oriented in the hospital but weak and unbalanced with a huge heavy cast. No surgery for the face - sounds too risky for her age and condition. She’s been recommended for rehab which we are very grateful for. In the meantime it gives me time to finish setting up her studio apartment.

M1

So sorry. My partner had a similar injury in June but fortunately did not break her wrist. It's been a huge setback. just a suggestion, you may want to hold off on the studio--it is entirely possible that she won't be appropriate for independent living after this.

NizhoniGrrl

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/221505#Comment_221505

It happened the day we moved her! So that ship has sailed. And now it looks like a second evaluation, PT not OT, cleared her for discharge today. This drives me crazy and this is the second time she’s popped up like the energizer bunny for PT evaluation in hospital when she can barely stay awake the rest of the day. I’m going to fight to get her into rehab tomorrow.

NizhoniGrrl

She’s doing well in rehab. Likes the place and the food! It does feel like she won’t be there for long and we’re going to have to figure out home care because that cast is on for 4-6 weeks. I’ve decided we’re going to place her in AL as soon as possible. Touring more places next weekend. I just have no faith she’ll regain the productive use of that arm since she refuses to do any exercises independently. And I’m terrified she’ll fall again.

Victoriaredux

"And I’m terrified she’ll fall again. " That may well happen , and due to her disease. We can't have humans in those halter chain things like horses to keep them upright —so all you can do is place her in the right professional care setting and let them handle it . You'll have done all you can.

That said , it sure isn't easy is it ? Sending good wishes.

NizhoniGrrl

Mom is up to her old tricks again, this time in rehab. She had explosive diarrhea, supposedly this morning, once in the bathroom and once in the bed, but it is clear she did not push the call button for one or both times. I found evidence that she did not clean up properly and now that I think about it, she might have even hidden or tossed out soiled linens as her pillowcases were missing and feces smeared on the back off the pillow. The thing that kills me is that she seems alert and with it otherwise. The aide who I called to address it was shocked it hadn’t been noticed but it was mostly hidden and she’s sneaky like that!

Ci2Ci

Something to keep in mind is that if one intends to pursue Medicaid Longterm Care, a hospital or hospital-to-rehab stay is an important way to qualify them as medically eligible. (Of course, they'll have to be able to be financially eligible, too.) Taking them home right after can be a huge setback for that goal — giving the impression that they're fine where they are. I was advised to tell the hospital that 'I will be unable to care for them at home' and the LO requires "safe discharge" to a facility. That requires the hospital to keep them until LO can be admitted to a facility (SNF or maybe AL). I was advised that a common Medicaid-LTC scenario was: hospital —> rehab —> SNF. Or, if rehab not ordered: hospital —> SNF. (Our case was the latter.)

Also, from my research with 100s of SNF admissions persons: the SNF/SNF-MC facilities will often hold open a few long-term care beds for their short-term rehab patients that might need to extend to long-term care. Whereas, if you are trying to get them entered straight to long-term bed at SNF, they have no available beds.