Question
My grandmother is 91 years old, she had hip surgery 2 weeks ago.  She is already trying to stand on her own and use the bathroom by herself.  She is the nursing home, I don't feel they are progressing with her therapy like they should.  Could you give me some idea what I should expect.  She was walking on her own without a cane or walker before the accident.

Answer
Stacy

When elderly hip patients recover, the recovery period depends on how healhty they were when they went in.  To me, it sounds as if your grandmother is making incredible progress for someone 91 years old.

If she has had no problems standing and show initiative to want to progress, I would ask them to put her on a walker for a few steps with a belt around her waist so that they can steady her if she gets weak or feels unsteady.

Once they are happy with her progress on the walker, she will move slowly to a cane.  

But on the whole, for two weeks post op at the age of 91 she sounds as if she is doing well.

Sharon