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She was living alone with just 4 hrs a day with Home Instead help.

My mom had the same injury. The Ortho doctor treating her in the hospital ordered PT and located an inpatient rehab facility, that was inside a nursing home, for her PT. It was approved by insurance, she transferred there and continued for as long as insurance would pay. Appeal when you need to if they decide she should leave early. My mom is still there with private pay. Those kind of fractures heal very slowly.
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Reply to Sunnygirl1
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I can speak to this.

Talk to the social worker, and if you have to the Orthopedic Doctor and the Primary Care Physician.

My neighbor age 78 broke her right shoulder and left hand tripping over a parking lot bumper.

She had a really poor quality Medicare Advantage policy. Her break was bad enough that Orthopedic Doctor did a shoulder replacement. After the
shoulder replacement the Medicare Advantage insurance company wanted her discharged to her home immediately after surgery. She had no family in town, no one in the house, and no CNA's.

It took the combined efforts of the Orthopedic Doctor, Primary Care Physician and the Social Worker to get her discharged to a rehab. My neighbor wanted the lux rehab in town. Only one rehab in town would accept her insurance so that is where she went.

The neighbor wanted to be in rehab for 8 weeks. Again, she had the shoulder replacement and a cast on the opposing hand. Insurance company discharged her in 4 weeks.

She came home. No aids. Neighbors helped her get dressed for the first week. I felt like it was pretty dangerous not having someone in the house. She had friends drive her to her PT appointments.

At 6 weeks she was driving but she still had a lot of shoulder pain. RN told her she could not take the oxy if she was going to be driving. Her biggest problem with driving is she does not have a push button starter in her car.
She has pain when she turns the key in the ignition.

She has been doing outpatient PT at the surgeons PT office now for 8 months.
She goes twice a week for shoulder PT and twice a week for hand PT.
Her shoulder PT just stopped last week but she will continue with hand PT for awhile.

Also, if your Mom can afford it and likes the home help she has I'd route the 4 hour people to the hospital and then to the rehab in the mornings. She will feel better having people around she knows and they can assist her with dressing etc.

So.....if you live in Florida and have Medicare Advantage be prepared to get the Orthopedic doctor and Primary Care Doc to fight the Advantage plan to get her to a rehab.

If she has CNA's for 4-6 or 8 hours a day she after discharge from the
rehab she is probably fine to return to her home. Plus they can drive her to her PT appointments.
For the first 2 weeks after rehab discharge I'd have CNA's for 10 or 12 hours at the home. You should be able to reduce the hours after that.

It was dangerous for my neighbor not to have anyone in the house the first 2 weeks after she was discharged from rehab.
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Reply to brandee
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Before mom can be discharged, the hospital will assign a social worker to her case. (One hopes) They will assess the home situation and the available resources and care she needs.

I cannot imagine them discharging her to home with only 4 hrs of an aide once a day. More likely a rehab facility.

In fact, if you yourself don't want this burden (and it will be one, no matter how you feel about mom) you need to advocate for her care loud and clear.

Is she right or left handed and is the break on her dominant side? I can do a LOT with my right hand, if my left arm/shoulder is in a sling, or whatever. If she broke her dominant arm-she's going to need a lot of help.

Also, at age 92--you are probably in your late 60's yourself. And, due to age, her recovery might be slowed down.

My Dh took care of his 93 yo mom for almost 2 years--he was in his early 70's (middle child, with older brother and younger sister--but they were still 68, 71 and 74)..they were chronically exhausted and depressed by keeping that promise to keep her home forever.

By the time they gave up and moved MIL to a lovely ALF, she said to the, "Oh this place is so much nicer than the one you used to have me in" (she'd been HOME!!!!!!!!!!!) She lived a week in this ALF and died 2 years ago today--Valentine's Day and my Dh's 72nd birthday.

The kids have said over and over again that they should have moved her to care years earlier.

Don't try to be a hero. Do what is BEST for mom and visit her, but don't make yourself be her one and only. It will kill you.
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Reply to Midkid58
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The hospital has social workers who can explain and arrange such things. You should also discuss with her doctor - not the aides or the nurses - about what to expect next.

I doubt that mom will be able to live alone anymore, though she might think it's possible. This fall is probably not an isolated incident. She may have fallen various times and not told you about it, and she can be expected to fall again. Four hours a day with Home Instead isn't enough help and observation when elders reach this stage.

Taking her into your own home should not happen! Becoming burnt out is the reason. Once they get in, it's hard to move them out, so realize the situation before it happens. Start checking out assisted living places where she will have a social life, activities, friends, and more safety than you can provide.

Good luck in managing all this!
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Reply to Fawnby
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