I want her to try to walk more and use the bathroom. How do I motivate her?

You may not be able to.
This is something to discuss with MD as this may now be where "she is at". You may need to accept that. Much depends upon your elders diagnosis, age, prognosis, underlying problems; these all come into play later more than just "motivation".

Discuss your loved one's current status with the MD as soon as you are able. This is a question of whether rehab and PT will help or if you are now being faced with comfort care and acceptance. Sorry for all you are both facing and wish you much good luck.

Well good grief, that sounds like me since this May. Mom mouns and makes a fuss getting up with her stroller to go to the bathroom. Always calls me to be there.

So our PCA got her to go and taught me to not respond so quickly, wait outside the door. Tell her I will be there if you fall, but I cannot be next to for every toileting exercise. You must be firm. My mother has been playing me for attention, maybe yours too ?????

Also, I want to add, her primary care physician got her on Zoloft, and anti-depressant, after about 10 days, her mood changed and she got out of bed to toilet more often.

Just some ideas.

Sadly the longer she lays in the bed, the less likely it will be that she'll ever be able to walk again, especially at her age.
Since you don't mention any dementia in your profile, I can only assume that your mom suffers from depression. Is she being treated for that? If not you may want to start there.
Also you can try putting a bedside commode close to her bed so she doesn't have to travel far or risk falling. She may be more open to that.

You don’t it’s a deeply personal decision. I watched my wife die. She could have easily prolonged her life if she would do the exercises. Multiple attempts failed because the therapist put it all on me. And I did not want to be the one to cause pain. So Much of it is all in the mind and desire to live.

When it comes to a mind in decline, who can know for sure what drives them to do certain things. But one thing is pretty certain: depression doesn't help. Heck, it makes lots of younger people want to stay in bed. Getting her assessed for mood meds will help her. Dementia robs people of their abilities to use reason and logic, and therefore they are less and less able to get themselves into a better mindset. She now needs help to do that. Then maybe she'll be more willing to toilet herself on her own, and maybe participate other activities as well.

It is possible that your Mom is very depressed. There needs to be a reason why she needs to get up and walk. If she is in pain, try and take care of the pain. If she is overweight, it is possible that it is very difficult for her to walk. Could she be taking medicine that is affecting her balance? Could there be a medical reason why she prefers to lay in bed instead of getting up? Have you talked to her PCP?

Walking also requires balance as well as strength of the abs and legs. The longer she doesn't use them, the weaker they will be. Can she sit up or is it difficult for her to sit up?

((HUGS))

Glendalarzalere: Due to your mother's mobility problems, it may be difficult foe her to ambulate to the bathroom.

If this person just lays in bed and uses disposable undergarments to catch her urine (and feces?), she will need to be changed and cleaned up at least five times a day, and to have a barrier cream applied to her bottom skin to prevent a rash. She will need to turn on her sides to help prevent bed sores. It sounds like she may have mobility issues, pain, mental decline, or she is just giving up. If you have the time and energy you/or hired help could assist her every few hours to the bathroom. Over the years, I have known several people to give up and stay in bed. They all lived five more years.

You can’t. They will only walk if they want to. I gave up after years of trying to get him to walk.

Evaluate for palliative and hospice care…

calmoseptine ointment for barrier cream.