Help!!!! My nan has forgot how to walk!!!!

Will she ever walk again???

  • Yes

    Votes: 3 75.0%
  • No

    Votes: 1 25.0%

  • Total voters
    4

Weffy2011

Registered User
Jul 22, 2011
2
0
London
Hi everyone,

My nan was diagnosed with alzheimers in 2005 and put onto medication. Everything seemed ok until february this year when she had a tumble and hurt her leg. She was taken to hospital and we was told that she had twisted her knee, since then she has been in rehab learning how to walk again. However we got a phone call from the hospital today saying that my nan has basically forgotten how to walk. :eek: we was told that she is best in a care home but as a family we disagree because she is not a danger to herself and before this incident she was fine and coping really well, we all were. Has this happened to anyone else? Or has anyone heard of this before? We really want her back on her feet and back home where she belongs but I don't know what to do!!! Does anyone know on ways which I can help my nan ?? Im only 21 and am her main carer but i am finding it so hard and dont know how to cope. I've tried being there when the nurses get her up but she still cries out for help and scared that she is going to fall.

Sorry for the long post I'm just so confused and dont know which way to turn. Thank you in advance for any replies

Steph xx
 
Last edited:

cragmaid

Registered User
Oct 18, 2010
7,936
0
North East England
Hi and welcome, The problem, as I see it, is that Nan remembers the pain and that it hurt when she walked, but cannot remember actually how to walk. From what I've read it seems likely that once motor skills are lost they do not seem to return. There have been one or two sucesses but if the OT and Physios dont think it's likely to happen then you have to assume that they know best. The other thng to consider is that she really might be feeling pain, but cannot tell you where. If she really is unable to walk, you are going to have to decide if her/your home can be adapted for wheelchair living. Keep in touch, Maureen.
 

shauna

Registered User
Sep 10, 2010
240
0
Hi
Something similar happened to my mum. She went into hospital with chest infection . The nurses told us after a week that she could not walk and had probably forgotten how to.I refused to accept this as prior to hospital my mum was mobile and capable of walking on her own. I asked for my mum to be given physio and after a few days i met with physio to see how mum was getting on . He told me that she was refusing to walk for them but sugessed that when i visit mum that he and i would try and get mum to walk. It worked and after a lot of coaxing and reassuring from me she got her confidence back and was able to walk the lenght of the corridor and back but this was only when family was there to reassure her. This is my experience i hope its of some help.
You are so young to have to cope with all this your gran is very lucky to have such a wonderfull caring grandaughter like you.

Sending you a big huggggggggggggg

Shauna
 

germain

Registered User
Jul 7, 2007
342
0
Hello Steph,

My Mum was in hospital over a week & we ( Sis & I ) had to take her to the loo during one of our visits! We thought nothing of it & just took her as usual. The Nurses thought she had gone missing and were absolutely astounded as she'd told them very firmly that she couldn't walk at all ( she also cried out in pain when any staff tried to help her)

I agree with Shauna - it might possibly just be a confidence thing with non family members , although our Mum had no old knee injury.

Once Mum had actually walked without a disaster happening she did really well & was not in the least "shame faced" at all about telling the staff she couldn't walk and making such a fuss . She was always "doddery" but at least she did it ! Physio's did no good but she was given a Zimmer which she insisted on carrying raised up in front of her !! She looked a bit like a tight rope walker but using a Zimmer instead of a pole for balance !!!

Don't give up quite yet. You never know with this disease !! A little family TLC can occasionally move mountains !
All the best
Germain
 

Weffy2011

Registered User
Jul 22, 2011
2
0
London
Thank you

Thank you all for your replies I'm so grateful. The OT has said that my nan is capable of walking as she is able to stand but with support and that she is just being stubborn. It's got to the point where I just want to pick her up and run away with her as all her doctor and social worker are saying is a nursing home would be best for her. I understand that at some point in the future this may be the case but right now I think she will go crazy in a nursing home.

I'm going to keep trying to help her walk and hopefully if I can build up her confidence with one little step this may trigger her to realise she can do it. Hopefully I am able to succeed and she will be running London marathon next year :p that's what she keeps telling me anyway. I'm so proud of my nan on how far she has come as she had kidney failure and the hospital managed to save her, I think I may be asking too much of her as this was only 5 weeks ago.

Thank you all for your replies it's nice to know I'm not the only one as sometimes when caring for a person who has Alzheimer's it can be very lonely.
 

Dibs

Registered User
Jun 19, 2009
1,906
0
59
Hampshire
Hi

My mum fractured a bone in her groin earlier this year. She was in hospital for 6 weeks and used to scream in pain when anyone tried to move her. Physio didn't work as mum couldn't take instruction and I was told she would never walk again, but once back in her carehome they encouraged her and mum started walking again.

In mum's case I think it was because the staff were too busy and it was an easy option to leave mum in bed and the physio gave up too soon although I realise it's difficult for a patient with alzhiemers to take instruction,but once back in her carehome they had the time to spend with her and encourage mum and it worked and mum was back on her feet albeit slower but able to walk.
Take care Dibs (Deborah)
 

Contrary Mary

Registered User
Jun 11, 2010
1,895
0
69
Greater London
My mum's mobility started deteriorating after a fall and a cracked pelvis landed her in hospital for 6 weeks. Despite the efforts of the physio while she was in the rehab hospital she never really recovered and now cannot stand unaided. I would totally agree with others who have said this may be a confidence issue. Mum also couldn't follow instruction and over time forgot how to use the zimmer. It was impossible to do much as I am on my own, but if there had been two of us to support her, I suppose it might have been different. The only thing I can do now is to make sure that she doesn't stay in bed but spends some time in the armchair. With two carers she does walk a few steps from bed to chair.
 

shauna

Registered User
Sep 10, 2010
240
0
Hi
I cant remember if i heard it on TP or from a friend that when a person with dementia stands on a shiny surface ( like they would have in a hospital ) that they see it as walking on water and it frightens them and so refuse to put their feet to the floor.
Has anyone else heard of this.

Shauna.
 

germain

Registered User
Jul 7, 2007
342
0
Hi Shauna

Yes, my Mum was very much like this but had eye problems as well which added to the confusion. She also thought that whenever there was a change in surface that it was a big step. Going from our carpeted sitting room to our parquet dining room involved a HUGE step down ( in her mind) and going from the parquet to the laminate kitchen floor was just the same !

For someone who supposedly couldn't walk she was able to lift her legs to an amazing height to deal with these steep steps !!
Regards
Germain
 

shauna

Registered User
Sep 10, 2010
240
0
Hi Germaine,

Your discription of your mum walking on different surfaces is exactly the same as my mum .She also has problems with her eyesight .It often amazed when she was living at home how she was able to get out of bed during the night and go to the loo havving crossed from wooden floor to carpet to tiles on loo floor.Thankfully she never had a fall. Now 5 months she is in a nursing home in final stages of dementia and very weak.I just believe how quickly she has deteriorated in a few months . Life is so cruel to our loved ones.


Shauna
 

bunnies

Registered User
May 16, 2010
433
0
When this happened to us, I tried, like you, to persuade my aunt to walk. I was convinced she could walk if she tried, and I was enormously frustrated with the physios who seemed to give up on her simply because of the dementia. I made a big fuss, and she did walk a bit for as long as there were people there to 'force' her, but as soon as we were more casual about it, she went right back to refusing to walk. I was very sad about that, because it feels as if everything changes when the person can no longer walk. In retrospect, I think my struggle to keep her walking might have just added to her distress - but if feels awful not to try. Good luck.
 

matchstick

Registered User
Dec 22, 2010
161
0
glasgow
My mum went into hospital on Oct 2nd,2010 and was there until March 22nd,2011 in that time mum never walked according to hospital,apart from one nurse who said she did.Mum is now in NH and walks without assistance,apart from support of wall bannister in NH.Imho it is a confidence thing,sometimes..good luck.