Cathy is a 60yo first grade teacher who enjoys crafts and going to church. While she has two adult children who live locally, she lives alone with her dog. One evening, she is walking her dog when she is hit by a pick-up truck that has run a red light. She sustains a traumatic brain injury, but is fortunate enough to survive.
While in the hospital, she requires a ventilator to breath for her, and needs a tube placed for feeding. Even after she is able to breath on her own, Cathy is lethargic. She cannot move the left side of her body, and she has difficulty staying awake to attend to any task. For this reason, she is deemed not appropriate for an acute rehabilitation setting – it seems too intense for what she can handle at this time. Cathy requires total care; someone needs to bathe her, dress her, change her diaper, feed her through the tube, and take care of her tracheostomy. This is a lot of care for any family to take one. In the hospital, there are shifts of multiple people who provide this care with days off.
What are her options? What would you do if you were Cathy? What would you do if Cathy is your mother?
It can be a difficult system to manage. We can treat your loved ones in facilities while you navigate the options. We can get them strong and help you understand their potential.
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