When Aging Loved Ones Need Physical Therapy

Gladys began physical therapy today.  I started to notice some changes in her walk, the way she sat and how she avoided using her right arm, but I thought they were normal signs of aging.  It wasn’t until her doctor’s office was trying to schedule Gladys for a mammogram and I asked if the procedure can be done from a seated position because I didn’t think Gladys could stand long enough for them to complete the mammogram.  That’s when the nurse began to ask a lot of questions and it was determined that Gladys needed some physical therapy.

The sad thing is that I probably contributed to part of her condition.  Gladys does not have cartilage in her arms and it is very painful for her to use them.  When she came to live with me, Gladys was able to take off her shirts that didn’t have buttons, zippers or snaps by herself.  When I saw how painful it was for her to move her arms, I began to help her put on and take off her shirts; taking them off in way that minimized arm movement.  As a result, she is no longer able to take them off by herself.  Why?  Because the muscles in her arms have stiffened due to lack of use.  Also, because she has become accustomed to my helping her with it, so now she expects my help.

Being a caregiver for an elderly stroke survivor with dementia has its challenges.  It is challenging because they can have such limited use of their limbs and the combination of the after effects of stroke combined with dementia often means they forget how to perform simple tasks.  When they are in pain, you want to help, but sometimes helping means enabling.  That balance is sometimes hard to find.

Anyway, we’ll see how the therapy goes.

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