Caregiving: Admittance to Physical Rehabilitation, Part 2
Tests, tests, and more tests. The hospital staff spent four days doing tests and trying to find the root of why mom could not move her legs. To name a few, she had two MRIs, lab work to check for infections and a stroke, two CT scans, an EEG, and a chest x-ray. She was seen by a neurologist, a general practitioner, an occupational therapist, and a physical therapist.
The results:
Mom did not have a stroke. She does not have severe brain deterioration (only whatever is normal for a person of her age). There are no tumors on her spine. She has no broken vertebrae. She does not have a pinched nerve. She did not have a heart attack. Her neurology results were normal. There is no sign of infection. Her organs are healthy. Her cholesterol is normal. Her sugar levels are normal.
Mom does have arthritis in her neck and spine. Her vitamin D3 and potassium levels were low. The latter were easy fixes.
However, none of this explains why her legs froze and she was unable to move them, or why she became delirious in the hospital.
After four days of observation and tests with negative results, and having conversations and discussions with the hospital staff, it was determined that this must have something to do with her Parkinson’s. The best plan of action was to discharge her to a physical rehabilitation facility.
All great but since I am new to the area, I had a ton of questions. First, I was not sure what facilities were in the area or how to choose a good facility. Was mom going to do therapy as an in-patient or out-patient? (No one was sure until she could be evaluated.) What are the traits of a good facility? Because the decision had to be made quickly, I relied heavily on the case manager at the hospital. She was very helpful in helping me determine the best place for mom. In the end, I chose a larger facility that would give her the option for in-patient or out-patient. Once that decision was made, she was great at communicating with the facility and securing mom a bed there.
Now, the question was how does she get there? We had two options of transportation. The first was by ambulance and the second was for me to do it. We chose option two. I was comfortable with that if a professional helped her into and out of the car. Off to rehab we go!
The positive thing about all of this is that the hospital staff were wonderful. The nurses were attentive and caring. Some of them even expressed that they liked her so much they wanted to adopt her and take her home (LOL. This must be a different mom than I am used to dealing with).
For me, this ordeal has been frustrating. I feel no closer to an answer than I was when she entered the hospital. It is exhausting going to visit mom every day for several hours and then coming home and taking care of the pets, dinner, the household chores, and myself. I walk with a neighbor twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening and it takes my last bit of energy to take that evening walk.
Questions for you:
What advice and tips do you have based on your experience?
Has anyone had experience with physical rehabilitation?
How did you choose the best rehabilitation facility?
Helpful Resources:
The Benefits of Physical Therapy for Older Adults (webmd.com)
Senior Rehabilitation Settings and Levels of Care Explained - AgingCare.com
What to Look For in a Physical Therapy Facility (newswise.com)
10 Tips to Help You Choose a Rehab Facility – Cleveland Clinic
10 Key Questions to Ask a Physical Rehab Facility (verywellhealth.com)