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Senior Living

2004-02-01 16:25:00

Assurances of assisted living

: Our mother recently fell and broke her hip.  She is going to need more care than we can provide.  She is 83 and other than the fall, she is in good health.  Her biggest fear is that once she enters an assisted living residence, she will never come home.  What can we tell her to help?

ANSWER:  Fear of diminished independence and particularly diminished ability to control one's day-to-day choices is not uncommon after experiencing a trauma such as a hip fracture. Your mother may assume that the activities and social interaction she once enjoyed will no longer be available to her. As one recovers from a hip fracture, it is important to receive sufficient support from capable professionals to attain and maintain one's highest practical physical, mental, and overall well being. Knowledge of the state of recovery often comes through assessments and plans of care developed during the individual's recovery period. Her physician and therapists can predict your mother's level of functioning after recuperating from the fracture, although her actual level of functioning may depend to a significant degree on her individual ability to recover.The way your question is phrased indicates that a determination has been made that an assisted living environment is the proper place for your mother to receive assistance and rehabilitative care. If this is not the case, and your mother really needs intensive rehabilitative care following a very recent hip injury and/or hip surgery, then more intensive care in a health care center (nursing home) or rehabilitation hospital environment might be appropriate. This answer will, however, be based on the assumption that an assisted living environment is the appropriate choice.Assisted living residences accommodate individuals experiencing functional impairment, as well as individuals who simply choose an assisted living residence environment because it can provide activities, social interaction, and it can be life enriching for those experiencing limitations due to physical impairment. Assisted living could well be viewed as addressing the individual need that your mother may have. If your mother requires support for daily activities, whether for a short period or for an extended period of time, the assisted living environment can serve to help through her recovery. In reality, assisted living residences strive to support an individual in achieving as much independence as the individual can achieve.If your mother's goal is to return home, and provided she is able to achieve that level of independence in her daily routine, an assisted living residence should be able to support her in achieving that goal. In the meantime, she may find the environment to be both supportive and enjoyable. Your mother should be able to continue her relationship with family, friends and neighbors during a stay in assisted living, as that continued interaction is encouraged.There are many resources available for more information about assisted living residences or other retirement housing:  Kansas Department of Aging (www.agingkansas.org/kdoa or 800-432-3535); Kansas Homes and Services for the Aging (http://www.kahsa.org/ or 785-233-7443), American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (http://www.aahsa.org/ or 202-783-2242), National Association for Area Agencies on Aging (http://www.n4a.org/ or 202-296-8130), National Center for Assisted Living (http://www.ncal.org/ or 202-842-4444), AARP (http://www.aarp.org/ or 800-922-8716) and ElderWeb (http://www.elderweb.com/). Assisted Living Federation of America (http://www.alfa.org/ or 703-691-8100)