My mother has broken her 2 hips, ribs, back, and wrist in the last6 months and is nolonger eating much. She is 89 years old with severe osteoporosis and currently in a wheel chair. She has little strength for rehabilitation but continues to want to use a walker again which is pretty unrealistic considering her state of failure to thrive. The social worker said it is time for hospice but my mother wants to continue rehab to be able to walk with a walker. She is too frail to do this. She is afraid of death and I think if she was told she was going into hospice , she would loose her will to live.
From the sounds of it, she is dying. If you don't think she would want to have to acknowledge this, I'm not sure it is necessary/helpful to insist that she face it. Instead of saying "there is no use in continuing PT; it is hopeless" I think that I might say, "We need to give your bones a rest to heal before we work on the walker any more." Is there any other treatment your mother would have to give up to receive Hospice Care?
Thank you!!!!