Hope/advice for a 90-something year old who will get hip repair surgery?

Question

Hope/advice for a 90-something year old who will get hip repair surgery?

Follow

Share

My dear one will need surgery, and the doctor says they'll be non-weight bearing. I am hoping to get them into an acute rehab because I feel they would get more therapy for limbs and core. Has anyone known another 90-something year old who recovered from non-weight-bearing hip repair (not replacement) surgery? My loved one has minimal medical issues, uses a walker, and is on some low-dose meds. They are full of life and love. I hate that this happened to them and would appreciate your prayers and advice!

Medical Care Mobility Rehabilitation Center

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

22 Answers

Most
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First

I was 90 when I broke my femur and had to have a partial hip replacement. the pain was minimal, and I was in rehab for 3 weeks, that is all, the important part is to keep moving as best you can. I had my caregiver come to hospital for her shift. I can't over emphasize how helpful it was. both mentally and physically..

Helpful Answer (5)

Report

Chestershaba, you are wrong about 50% dying after hip fracture. That was true decades ago. The actual rate of mortality is lower, and is generally due to comorbidities, not due to the fracture or complications. If someone is active and in good health pre-morbidly they can recover.

Helpful Answer (2)

Report

Anesthesia complications are an issue others have noted, so ask the doctor if they can use an epidural and a sedative instead of a general anesthesia. (That is what I was given for hip replacement last year).

Helpful Answer (3)

Report

It's a surprise that you have not been told that the 90 year old is going to have issues with Anesthesia. My dad had Dementia and was 89 when he fell and broke his hip. The Anesthesiologist told me that my dad might be loopy for a few days. The surgery was performed under general anesthesia. After the surgery, my dad suffered so many set backs. He had issues speaking sometimes due to his tongue sometimes became partially paralyzed. Physical therapy was unable to get my dad to stand up and walk on his own. He was confined to a wheelchair and died a few months later. Please look in to the risks involved with General Anesthesia at 90.

Helpful Answer (1)

Report

Your loved one can be part of a large group of basically healthy super seniors. Loved one will do better in rehab - more strength training happens in rehab which goes towards getting to go home.

Helpful Answer (1)

Report

Does your loved one have any cognitive issues going into the surgery? Trying to get someone to comply with nonweight-bearing status and later partial weight-bearing is pretty much impossible if they have dementia. The fact that they already use a walker will be helpful. I agree with trying to get into an acute rehab but they need to be able to tolerate three hours of therapy daily. Reinforce to everyone you see that they are currently very functional, know how to use a walker and are motivated.

Helpful Answer (1)

Report

My mother had a hip replacement in her 80s and was very mobile. In her late nineties it needed to be repaired so she had that done at age 99. She got through it fine and used a cane afterwards quite a bit, Good luck!

Helpful Answer (2)

Report

ConcernedDtrA: Pose your question to her physician.

Helpful Answer (0)

Report

Mom had hers at 9r with moderate dementia. She was early weight bearing and got through 3 weeks rehab to a permanent walker in AL for her last 4 years. Best of luck

Helpful Answer (2)

Report

My late father suffered with a broken hip from a fall back in 2013, and he was unable to get surgery because of congestive heart failure. He took large doses of morphine for severe pain and died five months later.

My late maternal grandfather also suffered a broken hip from a fall in 1975. His doctors operated on him with a pin placed in his damaged hip. Unfortunately, he never woke up from the anesthesia at age 96 and died.

Helpful Answer (0)

Report

I'm so sorry you and your loved one are going through this! It's frustrating and very painful for the patient and distressing for their loved ones.

My dad had a broken hip repair at 92 yrs old. The type of surgery involved inserting a rod to stabilize the joint. Dr. said the joint is now stronger than before the break. Like your loved one, Dad was healthy and active. He was loading tires into a truck bed and fell from the tailgate!

I'm not clear on the non-weight bearing protocol you mention. Are they restricted from putting any weight on the leg, ever? Dad was putting weight on his leg in supervised therapy within two days. He went to a rehab hospital for two weeks or so and then continued outpatient therapy. By the time he left the rehab hospital he was walking with a walker or a cane. The goal of rehab was to get him walking and active.

Sadly though, he has never fully recovered his strength or mobility and in the last three years since, he has declined physically and mentally. He suffers from severe arthritis in both hips and his back. I don't know if the break has any correlation to this declining mobility since the accident, or just age related arthritis and decline.

I wish your loved the best outcome.

Helpful Answer (1)

Report

An elderly friend of mine was in this situation and made a good recovery and returned to full mobility, although nothing slowed down the aging process!

Helpful Answer (4)

Report

It really isn't an option NOT to repair a fractured hip; there would be too much pain and the medications required for relief would be quickly deadly. I know the doctors will inform you of the dangers of anesthesia at this age, of hospital induced psychosis, of inability to heal, of the deficits of bone, brain, ligament, tendons, muscles.

So you know what you are facing. Do know also that we have seen people in their 90s have surgery and recover in rehab. You have no guarantees here and doctors will explain all that to you; but you also have really no options.

Good luck and DO update us.

Helpful Answer (3)

Report

Hmmm. . .at this point, if that happened to me, I might just opt for "quickly deadly" if given a choice! Ha.

(1)

Report

See 1 more reply

I had a similar hip repair a few years ago. I was in my 70's, not 90, but health and physical condition are more relevant than age alone.
I was non weight-bearing until the doctor approved 50% weight, then 50% weight was allowed until doctor approved full weight. I stayed at Acute Rehab for 30 days and received PT, OT, and CT (Cognitive Therapy--that was a new one to me). After 30 days I was sent home with PT coming to the house until I was allowed to drive myself to a PT facility.
If your LO is in generally good health and will participate in prescribed therapies, he or she is likely to do well.

Helpful Answer (4)

Report

Yes my mother recovered at age 90 from a hip replacement surgery (it was not broken, just had worn out joint from arthritis and causing her pain all the time to walk) and then had much less pain walking. She recovered in a rehab center for about two weeks, got PT right away there, and then was home with more PT and some caretaker helpers during the day. She recovered pretty fast and was like your loved one, no dementia so could understand the process, was not taking too many meds, and she only took Tylenol for the pain. But everyone is different and there is some risk of course but in her case it was worth it.

Helpful Answer (4)

Report

I think you just need to have tempered expectations and understand that as we age we don't rebound back to 100% or very quickly. Also be mindful of the Physical Therapist... if they aren't experienced in working with very elderly people they could inadvertently injure your LO. My Mom was in her early 90s going to PT to strengther her core and back. I purposedly chose a more senior PT who had a physical impairment. It was going great until he went on vacation and then the very young PT sub injured my Mom because they were clueless. I wish your LO all the best as they work to regain abilities.

Helpful Answer (2)

Report

I would ask your LO’s doctor all your questions including about rehab and the range of likely outcomes. They are likely to emphasize the positive.

I have a friend whose 90-year-old husband had been very active up until about age 85. Then he got covid a few years ago and lung damage from that and has been on home oxygen ever since. He was also heavy his whole adult life, about 5’10” and probably 250- 275 lbs. He fell and broke his hip this past January. Got hip replacement, did some weeks in rehab, then went home as she put it “very determined to recover.” What does that mean for a 90 year old already on oxygen? I’m guessing he hoped to get back to previous baseline.

He gets physical therapy at home 3-4 times per week but at this point, five months later, he can take only a few steps with a walker. She is much shorter and lighter than he is and no way she can physically get him from bed to bathroom, etc. so they have aides. In his case, this is judged to be a pretty “good” outcome.

It sounds like your LO needs a potentially less serious operation and has not too many other health issues, so those are working in their favor.

Best wishes to you

Helpful Answer (2)

Report

I'm not sure about the weight bearing issue, but a friend of mine Mom broke her hip, middle 90s, honestly I had a more realistic view on what was going to happen, but she showed us all!! She, did really amazing, lives in a nice AL now, and doing terrific. I don't think this is a usual case , but it can happen.

Helpful Answer (6)

Report

One of my friend's Mom was 92 and she fell in her driveway and broke her hip. She had surgery, did some rehab and was able to come home. She lived by herself, but she had Aides come in to help. She did quite well, from what my friend told me.

However, 2 years later at age 94, she fell again - broke her other hip and arm, and unfortunately was not able to recover and passed away a few weeks ago in Rehab.

Helpful Answer (6)

Report

Yup my dr says if u break hip at 65+ 50% chance of dying. I thought he was joking.

(1)

Report

See 1 more reply

My father was 90 when he fell and broke his hip. He had it repaired with pins and screws, but general anesthesia was used for the surgery. He did have hospital delirium afterward and went to rehab after being released from the hospital. He made very little to no progress walking in rehab, but a brain tumor was also discovered during routine testing after the fall. Idk why he never was able to walk again, and he passed 10 months later in Assisted Living at 91 where he lived with mom. He was unable to go back to Independent Senior Living after the hip repair.

I'm sorry to report bad news, but it's often the case after a broken hip with elders this age. I hope and pray your loved one is able to walk again with PT in rehab, and makes a full recovery. Stay on top of whats happening with him in rehab so you're not blindsided in any way.

Best of luck to you.

Helpful Answer (6)

Report

Quite often one of the effects of anesthesia is a decline in mental cognition.
This can be permanent or not. But it can last weeks or months if there is going to be an improvement. So keep this in mind and be aware of it.
Now to the rehab.
If there are no residual effects from the anesthesia and your LO is active and able to do well in rehab there should be no problem.
BUT
If there are residual effects from the anesthesia your LO may not be able to fully participate in rehab and may not progress as much or as well as Medicare/Medicaid require. If that is the case they may not be able to remain in rehab for a long duration.
If that does happen are you able to care for this person at home?

One of the other factors will be is fear.
I am guessing that the fracture was a result of a fall. (Or in many cases it is actually a fracture and fall, not the other way around)
If there was a fall there is a good possibility that your LO may fear falling and getting hurt again. So make things as safe as possible.
Solid, non slip shoes.
At home remove all throw rugs.
Make sure there are no extension cords in the way.
All items picked up off the floor.
Nothing left on the stairs if you have stairs.
Sturdy hand rail with the top and bottom of the hand rail closed or turned to the wall so a sleeve does not get caught.
Make sure the walker that is used is fitted properly, is the right height.

Helpful Answer (8)

Report

Hopefully your loved one will do well with their surgery and not suffer any of the side effects of the anesthesia.
My only recommendation would be to make sure that either you or another family member attends your loved ones therapy sessions as it's been my experience that those in therapy that don't have anyone there with them are often ignored and just left to sit in their wheelchairs. Sad but true.
I saw this many years ago when my now late husband had his massive stroke. I made sure that I was at all of his PT, OT and speech therapies and I witnessed first hand those elderly folks who were just left to sit the entire hour while not getting any PT.
So be there for your loved one to be their cheerleader, so they can make a full recovery. And if not a full one, that they can at least make the very best of their new "normal."

Helpful Answer (6)

Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

Hope/advice for a 90-something year old who will get hip repair surgery?

22 Answers

Recent Questions

Popular Questions

Related Questions