Hip fracture rates are extremely high among people with Parkinson's disease. As Parkinson's disease compromises people's balance, falls become more likely. With Parkinson's disease, discouragement and depression is also a major concern when a person has to be down for so long recovering.
We received a letter from a daughter working with her mother who had broken her hip. Indeed, the mother was making good progress physically, but it appeared that her emotional outlook was very pessimistic.
My Mom is 66 and has had PD for about 13 years. She actually is doing very well physically, but has bouts of feeling down or sorry for herself. She recently fell and broke her hip and needed a partial hip replacement. All the doctors and therapists who work with her think her recovery should be 100 percent or better, but she does not believe this. She repeatedly says that she will never be able to do things like go up escalators again. I am trying to find ways to build her confidence and also get her some help for her possible depression. She tends to learn well by talking to others that have had similar experiences or by reading. Do you have any suggestions that might help?
My Parkinson's Info partial answer:
I suspect you are right on with the possible depression. Neurologists understand depression very well–better than most other doctors. You and your mother should talk about this with her neurologist. Your mom will learn that her neurologist has tackled depression issues many times with other patients. Still the neurologist has not had the personal experience of living with PD, breaking a hip, and dealing with the associated depression.
We do not know anyone we can introduce her to who has been through this experience, although falls and broken hips with PD are common. Perhaps attending a support group for PD would help her meet someone who has been through that experience.
Honestly, if she avoided pneumonia during her hospitalization, she is on her way to a very satisfactory recovery that includes escalators. I don’t know if she will be able to ride escalators for this season of Christmas shopping. However, I am very confident that during Christmas 2008, the escalators will be ready for her to climb on board.
The response we received emphasizes how hard it can be to confront the emotional side of Parkinson's disease.
Thanks for your suggestions. She was part of a PD support group and a Tai Chi class before she broke her hip. I will work to get her back into both of those activities over the next week.
I will keep working on both her and my dad to talk to her neurologist about her depression symptoms. I've been trying that for about 6 months so I think I may work to get her doctor's e-mail and try to contact her myself.
Physically she is doing just fine. She can walk about 120 feet with a walker or cane and can even shower by herself. I have no doubts that she can recover physically.
Thanks again!
