My 91 year old Mom has trouble walking. Exercise at any age helps strengthen the muscles and improves balance. Our Primary Care Physician ordered Home Health Care and the Physical Therapist comes twice a week to work with her. Medicare pays for it if the Doctor orders it. Right now they reason that she needs "endurance" so we still have the service.
Yesterday the physical therapist came and went through all of her exercises with her. She does not like to do them but I am urging her to do them daily to prevent falling.
Then we have several types of canes, a walker and a wheelchair. If we are going a long way I use the wheelchair. The cane helps her steady herself on short walks. The Walker is great for any length of walk if you can get them to use it.
Good luck. Gentle nagging is appropriate here to prevent injury.
If she doesn't have a walker try the American Legion. Down here they have them and let you use them for long as you need it. When I had to use one my husband put a bike basket on the front so I could put things in for lunch etc.
My Aunt is 95 and becomes very weak when she doesn't use her muscles. She goes to an Adult Day Program one day a week that she LOVES. 'Course it was like pulling teeth to get her to try it. But that's another story. I have 3 steps from my porch to the sidewalk--no ramp. In the past she, too, refused to use a walker and because of multiple falls and breaks she now has no choice. Now, if she has a fall/break she will likely end up in a wheelchair. So, when she doesn't want to exercise I remind her of 2 things. If she loses her strength, she won't be able to go up and down the stairs and will not be able to go to the Adult Day Program OR to get her hair and nails done. That's a big motivator. And I remind her that if she ends up in a wheelchair I will no longer be able to take care of her as my home is small and the doorways will not accommodate a wheelchair which would mean she would have to go to a NH. She is motivated to continue to exercise with both these statements. Perhaps your Mom has something that you could remind her she will lose if she gives up walking.
Glad for the information,,I have had back fusion surgery that failed, in 2008 Now I need some help with walking, Thank You, I will go see my Doctor as I don't feel like driving 40 miles round trip. Marilyn
Medicare provided a walker for my mother. I put tennis balls on the end to stop it from rolling down a ramp. She hates it and feels it makes walking less enjoyable. I showed her some of my physical therapy strength training exercises. She does not feel like doing them....but whenever she asks why she can't walk....I remind her that it is not because her eyes are bad, but because her legs are too weak and I do a few exercises with her. She has been walking a lot all her life but at 90, her muscle strength is very poor. She also has dementia and cannot be left alone, per her geriatric psychiatrist, so I have to take care of her or hire someone to walk with her. Since she hates the walker, holding her by the arm every time she walks outside the house has prevented her from falling and breaking anything. If you work, you have to hire someone to take care of your mother if you want in home care. Medicare will cover physical therapists but not 24/7 care when she can't walk at all. If she has very little money, Medicaid might be an option, but always should be the last resort.
I think providing a walker or a cane for your mother might be a great idea. Insurances usually cover that if you cannot afford the cost. It would also help to install a metal bar in the shower as well, and a seat to prevent falling. Insurance should also be able to cover some physical therapy for your mother. they can even come into your home
Not JUST the walker, but strengthening exercises too. Mother actually refused to do any, and in one year she went downhill so severely, they do not think she will ever regain the strength she lost by refusing to do 15 minutes of strengthening per day. Walkers can be deceptive--people tend to hang their heads down to see the ground, instead of looking ahead to see obstacles, etc. Before long, they can become bent over in a C shape-- and then they have a lot more problems, back and hips will really start to hurt. Mother is going through this now. She just wants pain pills, but those make her fall--she needs to strengthen....even at 86 she can make some improvement. If money is an issue, the aluminum walkers are quite cheap, or check the want ads. I think Mother has a used one.
If your mom's doctor won't give your Mom what she needs because he is worried about government scrutiny more than he worries about his patients, you need to find your Mom a new doctor. I have had to exercise my HCS rights to get my mother to a better primary care doctor because the one she had was really bad at prescribing the right medication for her. The elderly don't always thank the caregivers and you have to remind yourself that it is part of the disease. If I were in end stage Alzheimer and could not speak.....I'd use every dime I have to get some barbiturates to end my pain whether it is legal or not. They don't put dead people in jail and death is better than terrible pain. Can you even imagine having a brain that is broken and being unable to learn simple new tasks? I could not handle that. Just because you are an overstressed caregiver who needs to hire somebody to give you a break once a week does NOT make you a bad person. It makes you a human being who loves her mother. My mother wants me to wait on her quickly....but as soon as she sees me limping around the kitchen making her a salad plate, she realizes I'm doing the best I can at the only speed I can handle thanks to very painful bursitis.
Yesterday the physical therapist came and went through all of her exercises with her. She does not like to do them but I am urging her to do them daily to prevent falling.
Then we have several types of canes, a walker and a wheelchair. If we are going a long way I use the wheelchair. The cane helps her steady herself on short walks. The Walker is great for any length of walk if you can get them to use it.
Good luck. Gentle nagging is appropriate here to prevent injury.
If money is an issue, the aluminum walkers are quite cheap, or check the want ads. I think Mother has a used one.
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