Mom (MS-LS, more LS) just broke her hip in Memory Care

ninadsd

Hello,
Long time lurker, first time poster. Mom (88) was ambulatory with walker in MC with what is probably early Late Stage dementia (word salad, often incontinent, but still sometimes in on the conversation.) She fell and broke her hip early AM yesterday. We were told she is not a candidate for surgical repair - between osteoporosis/spinal degeneration and behavioral/memory issues, she could not follow rehab protocols - if surgery even took. She has had a DNR in place for ages. We are fine with hospice and have a consult set up.

BUT in either case - we still need to keep her from getting up without people there - for at least the next 2-3 months. Does anyone have any idea how we do that? Hire help? other thoughts. Our main goal is keeping her comfortable, but she is also otherwise pretty healthy and may last a while, so having her recover the ability to transfer from bed to chair to toilet is something we want to keep in mind.

AmandaF

Hi,

My mom was in a similar situation earlier this year, a broken hip that we decided to let heal on its own for all the same reasons you gave. It was tricky to keep her from trying to stand, especially once it stopped hurting. I don’t think there’s an easy answer - for us, the facility/hospice just had to keep a closer eye on her. Now that it’s been a few months, I’m not sure she’s even strong enough to get up out of a chair, or if her body would remember how to walk (according to the MC staff, it can forget). She is able to stand with assistance to get in the shower, which is helpful, but it seems like she’s basically gotten used to being wheeled around and is ok with it. So that’s been our experience. Good luck and I hope it works out ok.

JulietteBee

You could get bed alarms that will alert you that she is attempting to get up. The noise alone may scare her into staying in place.

Additionally, you should ask her pcp to authorize PT to come in and do leg strengthening exercises and transfers with her.

SDianeL

There is really no way to keep her in bed. The facility can’t use restraints. So a bed alarm and hiring a caregiver are the only options. I would ask the facility and the hospice nurse if they have any suggestions. I know for patients who are fall risks they lower the bed and put thick rubber mats by the bed in case they fall.

harshedbuzz

This happened with my mom's oldest sister. She broke a hip in AL and had a repair of some kind and had the same restrictions you are facing.

My aunt was transferred to a SNF. The break and the repair combined to fast forward her into very late stage which meant she required a sitter 24/7. Since there was no money for this kind of coverage, her small family stepped in. Her DD was there most of the time, her son's widow was there a lot and one of her sisters (who was also caregiver/guardian of the other sister with dementia who needed handfeeding) covered a shift when she could. (mom and I were 300 miles away dealing with my dad at the time)

Despite her robust health, she only lived about 3 months after the break.

HB

Klako

SNF with my dad put his bed as low to the ground as they could and used bed alarms and floor pads. If he could be in wheelchair he was on a chair alarm and they kept him out in a common area where there was always someone around. When my dad fell he did not break anything but was no longer strong enough to stand on his own. Prior to falls was like your mom who could walk with rollator and get around pretty well. These tactics worked for him as he never fell again and eventually stopped trying to get up also.