geriatric question

Specialties Rehabilitation

Published

My 89 year old grandmother just fell and had hip surgery. One of the DR's told a family member that it is very possible she will only live for 6 months. Is this true? Can anyone give me some feedback on this topic? :crying2:

Specializes in Utilization Management.

It would really be best for you to ask your question of the Dr. caring for her.

Not that we're trying to avoid answering your question, that really is the best thing to do.

PS Hopefully, your family member misunderstood the Dr. Hoping for the best outcome for your Gramma, Marnie.

Could the Dr. have been generalizing? 89 is a good age but no-one lives forever. I don't mean to be cruel, but nobody can say when someone else will end their life span. Perhaps they were just trying to get you to consider quality of life v. quantity of life??

Hope she's on the mend.

Specializes in Home Health Care,LTC.

Hope she is feeling better and starting to heal. I would ask the Dr. personally and get the facts from him. Take care

Angelia

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I've been working in Long Term Care at a Skilled facility with a sub acute rehab floor for more years than I'd care to admit. We've had MANY people in their late 80's and 90's come in with surgically repaired fractured hips who rehab and then go home. Some of them have better functional skills than before they fractured. I'm not saying that everyone of them does well, but it seems a blanket statement to say your grandmother would die just because she broke her hip.

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