Does anyone care for a parent who had a brain shunt put in, yet the results do not seem encouraging?

Ernie, is it time for your mom to become a long term care patient?

So sorry to hear this, Ernie.

My mother had this procedure and it didn't help her all that much. Her balance never improved and at this point (3 years later) she's wheelchair-bound. Her incontinence improved slightly. Her cognitive impairment has not worsened and perhaps that can be attributed to the shunt surgery. She regrets having it but I think it was worth a shot.

Does your mother live with you? Are you worried she will need more assistance than you can provide if she comes home?

I love the idea of refusing to take her home, but I'm not sure it works unless your mother has the funds to pay for a facility or is eligible for Medicaid. Poor balance and incontinence won't qualify a person for Medicaid.  Is her dementia severe enough to require a nursing home level of care?