My daughter mother in law has recently been admitted to a care home. Since then she had two falls and ended in hospital. The second one two days ago she fractured her hip and was admitted to hospital. She also has a chest infection which the son was not aware of he visits once a week as he is not local. Was told she is too frail, she is 78 and not well enough to proceed with the operation. She must be in a lot of pain. Anybody loved ones been in the same position. I cannot ask daughter too many questions as she is stressed as it is. She is self funded and fund is running out so the house has to be sold. They have got no idea how to proceed and empty the house ready to be put in the market. Any pointers much appreciated. Thanks
Chest infection and hip fracture in care home
- Thread starter Jan48
- Start date
I haven't had personal experience of this scenario but just wanted to say how sad and worrying this situation must be. Hopefully somebody who has experienced similar will be able to give you some pointers to share with your daughter.
Hello @Jan48
My mum had been in her care home for nearly three years when she fell and broke her hip. She was not frail, although within the previous year she had been in hospital for a chest infection and had, a bit later on, a stroke, so she had surgery to repair the fracture. Unfortunately the surgery was too much for her, she never really recovered and died a few weeks later.
I can understand why the surgeons do not want to operate. I do hope they are giving your daughters MIL proper pain relief.
xxx
My mum had been in her care home for nearly three years when she fell and broke her hip. She was not frail, although within the previous year she had been in hospital for a chest infection and had, a bit later on, a stroke, so she had surgery to repair the fracture. Unfortunately the surgery was too much for her, she never really recovered and died a few weeks later.
I can understand why the surgeons do not want to operate. I do hope they are giving your daughters MIL proper pain relief.
xxx
Thank you for replying to my post. My daughter phoned and said mil had surgery as the consultant said without it she will not survive. They were away on a long weekend when this happened and my sil is going to visit her on his return. It’s a three hours journey by public transport. Having dealt with your mother, do you remember how long she stayed in hospital and did she return to her care home or nursing home? Money is tight as it is as the house has not been put on the market yet. Daughter thinks she might need to be moved to a nursing home as she will need physio etc currently she is paying £1300 a week. I asked how she felt and they do not know. SIL intends to go and visit her daily after work. Not sure how this will work as he will only have 30 mins to see his mum as visiting is over after 8 pm. My daughter does not want to say anything as she does not want to cause him any more stress. Any pointer will be much appreciated. Thanks again.
Mum was in hospital for about a week after the op as far as I remember. She then returned to her care home (not a nursing home), but mum became listless, wouldnt co-operate with the community physio and stopped eating. She was sent back to the hospital for them to check on the wound and to see whether there was anything else going on. The hospital gave IV fluids and said her wound was healing and there was nothing else going wrong, so they sent her back to her care home.
Mum still wasnt really recovering, she was sleeping a lot more and still wasnt eating. I was worried about mum and arranged to speak to the care homes GP. I asked him whether he thought mum was dying and he agreed that he thought she was at End of Life. She was placed on palliative care. She stopped eating and drinking completely within the next couple of days and it was obvious that she was, indeed, at EOL. She stayed in her care home and they looked after her right up to the end. The doctor prescribed the EOL medication and the District Nurses came in regularly to check her and give the medication. They would also come out at other times in an emergency. One night they were called out in the wee small hours and they came back in the morning with a syringe driver.
I was so glad that mums care home were able to look after her at the end so that she could pass away in a place that she knew, tended by people who were genuinely fond of her (several of her carers came to the funeral).
I dont know whether any of this will help you as your daughters MIL may well respond differently.
xx
Mum still wasnt really recovering, she was sleeping a lot more and still wasnt eating. I was worried about mum and arranged to speak to the care homes GP. I asked him whether he thought mum was dying and he agreed that he thought she was at End of Life. She was placed on palliative care. She stopped eating and drinking completely within the next couple of days and it was obvious that she was, indeed, at EOL. She stayed in her care home and they looked after her right up to the end. The doctor prescribed the EOL medication and the District Nurses came in regularly to check her and give the medication. They would also come out at other times in an emergency. One night they were called out in the wee small hours and they came back in the morning with a syringe driver.
I was so glad that mums care home were able to look after her at the end so that she could pass away in a place that she knew, tended by people who were genuinely fond of her (several of her carers came to the funeral).
I dont know whether any of this will help you as your daughters MIL may well respond differently.
xx
Thank you very much. As she is very frail they are aware that she might not recover from the op. I hope she will be able to return to her care home as she was settling well, looked happy and putting on weight.
My mum was pushed over in her care home and broke her hip. Following surgery she returned to the CH and with some physio, was walking again (with a frame) in a week. (Needed carers to help at first but was soon mobile on her own with the frame.) I had to nag her to do the exercises though, and nag the staff to walk her up and down the corridors every day. But it worked and she lived another 2 years before dementia finally got the better of her.
Just wanted to offer a more positive outcome. Much will depend on your mum's health and determination and getting her to do the exercises!
Just wanted to offer a more positive outcome. Much will depend on your mum's health and determination and getting her to do the exercises!
The Banjoman was perfectly mobile before he was found on the floor of his room with a broken femur. It was pinned in hospital but afterwards his cognition was such that he was unable to connect with the physiotherapist and whilst his wound healed he never walked again.
After checking him out in hospital his residential care home accepted him back and looked after him for another couple of months before he died.
After checking him out in hospital his residential care home accepted him back and looked after him for another couple of months before he died.
Similar threads
