The hospital suggests mom go to a rehab center for better rehab after the hospital stay, but she is weak and I'm afraid!

I am almost afraid to share my experience. My father has compression fractures in his lower spine. He was in the hospital, then moved to the rehab section where he got to where he wouldn't speak. We had him transferred to Henry Ford Main downtown Detroit which said he needed rehab. My father even though he is 90 is six foot tall and 185 lbs. He is a two man assist when he is down. I did research on skilled nursing care and had him transferred. Within 4 days of his stay I was calling the funeral director. He was totally out of it and placed on the alzhiemers ward. I said my father his mild dementia why is he on this floor? They said he has alzhiemer's. I asked if he just woke up with it and they said some do. Needless to say I had him moved within a week of his admission there. He was very dehydrated, with bedsores and pneumonia. He is back living with me and doing well for being 90 (he was 87 when all this happened) My answer is do your research well and be there as much as you can. They do have therapists who come to the home as well as visiting nurses. Sometimes they bounce back quicker at home. Just my opinion. Good Luck and Prayers to you :)

Rehab may have saved my mother's life. She was very weak and confused from eating poorly and lack of stimulation at home; she was afraid to get out of bed, for fear of falling. Then one day at home alone, she fell and fractured several bones. In rehab, they fed her well--she gained 7 pounds in 10 days---and kept her busy with exercise. She loved the interaction with the nice young therapists. They taught her how to get better support from her Rolater --- she hadn't been using the brake, so it was scooting out from under her when she stood up with it, and causing some of her falls. They drilled her in how to use the Rolater, in how to get up from a chair using her cane, in how to step over thresholds, in how to turn her body (for instance, when opening the refrigerator door) without losing her balance. By the time she left rehab for assisted living, she was physically stronger and much more confident about her own ability to move and cope. At the same time, rehab made her more realistic about her own physical limitations, so she was able to accept that she really needed to move into assisted living. She is thriving there.

a rehab facility is a great place! my mother had a massive heart attack last year and mild dementia ..and they ask me if I wanted to let her go to rehab after she had been in the hospital for a week ,I decided not to because I have been her care giver for so long and her cardiologist said it is not really a good ideal for her to go to rehab facility due to health condition it might stress her out in a strange enviroment. so I decided to take her home and do rehab for her at home and she is doing great.. it takes love and patient she feel so happy being at home with her dogs that help her mentally and stressfree....

My Mom has been to rehab twice and both were wonderful experiences. She went after she had her knee replaced and again just a couple of months ago when she had her hip replaced. Your mother will get the kind of intensive physical therapy that she could never get at home. My Mom got physical and/or occupational therapy 2x/day. When she came home she only got it 2x/week! She was strong and steady while she was in rehab, but started losing weight and getting weaker shortly after she got out. We still don't have a handle on what's going on, but I suspect that one aspect is not enough exercise. My recommendation is to send your Mom to rehab - our experiences were great. Mom even found a student nurse there she wanted to invite to Thanksgiving dinner!

Im a physical therapist. Is she going to an in-patient rehab like in the hospital where she is or do they want to send her to a long-term acute care facility or a skilled nursing facility? The answer is do you want her to regain as much function as possible and return to some sort of independence? If so then definetly let her go. Depending on what type of facility will determine how much therapy she'll get. She will also get skilled nursing care. You can visit her when she's not doing therapy and should be invited to participate in rehab to learn how to physically assist her as needed once home towards the end of her stay. If you take her home I don't think she could qualify for the rehab facility; however, she can get home health which is not daily therapy (2-3x's per week), nursing care and the frequency depends on your mom's needs. Aides can be ordered only if she doesn't have a family member who can bathe her. The most intense rehab is in a rehab facility. I know it's tough. I'm here if you have any questions. God Bless!

I would definitely have her go to rehab after hospital if it is recommended. And as Jeanne suggested - if you or someone could be there as much as possible will help tremendously. I did this for both my parents over the years. Especially for my father as he had "sundowning" which I learned is something which can occur when the elderly person is in new surroundings, or just something that happens later in the day even at home. It is a form of disorientation and the staff usually don't have the time to help as much as needed. I never heard of this until he went to rehab; and even though he was in one of the best rehabs in the state; he needed me to help him cope. They just don't have the time or staff. Just something to be aware of. But, rehab. is a great transition from the hospital to home. Hope all goes well. Blessings to you and take care.

Kathy, let her go to rehab. Pick one that is easy for you to get to so you can visit. Rehab has nurses and aides and therapists that will work with your Mom to teach her (and you) how to do things. It's important to go now while she qualifies, you can always take her home if it doesn't help.

When my husband was in a rehab center to regain his strength after surgery I stayed there all day every day. I helped him eat all meals, etc. He had dementia and was very confused. When my mother was in a rehab center (two different times) my sisters and I visited her every day, but did not feel we had to be with her all the time because she was mentally alert.

If Mom is too weak to go home successfully a few weeks in a rehab center might be a good transition between the hospital and home. Can you and your sister spend a lot of time with her there?