Follow
Share

My mom is in rehab for a pelvic bone fracture that occurred in mid October. She was given the okay to bear full weight two weeks ago but is getting hardly any PT. She lays in a bed most of the day because she doesn’t have the confidence to try and do things on her own and staff are unwilling to supervise her so she can try to do things for herself. Staff in general are not helpful from administration to floor. My mom is miserable, depressed, not eating much. She almost seems to be regressing. I work full time and am not comfortable taking on the role as a full time caretaker. I feel helpless and don’t know what to do. Has anyone been in this situation?

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
It sounds as though your mom may be refusing to cooperate and participate in PT? Or may be UNABLE to, due to pain and fear.
I cannot tell nor judge from what you say. If she cannot they will soon come to you from discharge planning and ask about plans. It is sounding as though mom may need placement infacility even if that is temporary. I agree with you that this cannot/should not be attempted at home.

Pelvic bone fractures are notoriously painful.
I would ask if her pain management is OK.
They should be holding care conferencing with the POA; is that you?

If you have been to management and to the MD I am afraid that the next step may be to ask the social workers for ombudsman contacts so this can be checked out.
try:
www.nursinghomeabuse.org/nursing-home-abuse/ombudsman/
Only link I could find.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report

Find out what the rehab orders from the doctor say. Contact the head of the rehab department. Find out if the rehab orders are being followed. Find out if mom is cooperating. Arrange to be present for a scheduled session if you can.

Transfer her to a different rehab if they can't/won't do the therapy.

Is this acute rehab or subacute?
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
waytomisery Dec 11, 2023
Yeah , I’m guessing it is subacute rehab.
(1)
Report
Playing devil's advocate - I know that there were certain things that my FIL was only allowed to do WITH PT. If a Physical Therapist was not present, they didn't want him doing certain things because it wasn't safe or he wasn't cleared to do the activity and even if the CNA or Nurse was present he still couldn't do the activity because they were not trained to assist him with it.

So for example - the PT might be able to get him out of bed and have him use the walker to go to and from the bathroom - but the CNA and Nurse might not be able to do that in the early days because he hasn't been cleared by PT to do that yet - if that makes sense. It takes time for them to progress to feeling they are strong enough to move from "Max Assist" to "Mod Assist" to "Min Assist" to "No Assist".
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
waytomisery Dec 11, 2023
This is true. It was like this when my mother had her stroke . In the early days only PT was allowed to walk with Mom until she had improved enough to where PT felt staff could walk with her safely .
(0)
Report
How about switching to another rehab facility ?
She should be getting OT as well.
They do only get a limited amount of therapy per day. I have had a family member in 3 different rehabs. One gave up to 3 hours a day of therapy total between PT and OT . Some only an hour of PT and 1/2 hour of OT .
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter