My wife is having a very hard time with walking. She injured her hip years ago, It pains her now. I have taken her to the Urgent care and Er's. They did xrays and a CAT scan. The hip is not broken. We tried to get her to do PT but that was a no go.But now she is just shuffling along and loses her balance at times.I finally got her to use her cane, most of the time, for all moves. But with dementia she forgets to use it or forgets where she put it. The search is then on. But it is never far.I was just wondering if this is just a progression of dementia or something else.Thanks in advance!
Looking into a walker right now.
You are doing what you can.
Not that it matters, because really treatments aren't good, but my daughter in her 60s was ignored about her hip pain, told it was "coming from your back and a bulging disc" etc. until THREE YEARS later when she insisted on an MRI on her hip and they came back with evidence of two muscles TORN from insertion on pelvic bones and tendons frayed and hanging in the wind along with bursitis from chronic injury of walking. There's a lot of pain. She way asked "What happened? Did you fall off a horse and then the horse fell onto you?"
Your wife could have an injury that isn't showing. Not much reason to know as major surgery likely out of the question, and for my daughter not even the answer; seems not to BE much answer but they will in January try a surgical procedure called Tenex.
Sorry wife is dealing with the pain as well as the forgetfulness. You might eventually opt for one of those Cadillac of walkers, the one in which you stand with arms resting at chest level on the raised walker bars. They are very stabilizing, and they are HARD TO IGNORE.
I sure do wish you both the best.
If not then I agree with others who suggest it may be part of dementia symptoms. She will now be a fall risk, especially if she has memory impairment you cannot expect her to remember to ask for a cane or rollator or assistance.
We had a motion alarm for my Aunt that was clipped to her shirt and then then attached to an alarm box attached to her recliner. When she attempted to get up, the string from her shirt (which had a magnet on it) easily detached from the alarm box on the chair and it made a loud sound so we'd come to help her. She did eventually get out of her bed one night, fall and break her hip. Then she passed away.
You may want to consider a concave mattress to prevent this scenario since she can get the notion to wander unattended at any time.
I'm surprised her doctors haven't told you that. You may need to step her up to a walker which she won't be able to misplace and will keep her a lot more steady on her feet, even though the falls will still happen as that is part of the disease.
Wishing you well as you take this very difficult journey with your wife.