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Larry, I agree with Joan's comments that there is a lot that can be done.....but DOES your brother want that in his current physical/mental condition. And let me put this in another perspective....... 1. stretching exercises to regain mobility can be extremely painful. You mention that he has not been walking for several months. What degree of discomfort is he willing to endure/willing to accept? 2. Does he have the ability for mobility all the time.....or would this physical therapy have to be available on a VERY flexible schedule during his day time "on" times. (I for a fact could not do pt at 3 pm every day.....and I still have mobility with my current pd progression). could he do these repetitive exercises between PT visits (simply trying to move his legs on his own? does he have those mental capabilities to understand and carry through?). 3. What are the dangers to your brother (in terms of falling, wandering, etc) if he does regain mobility? We did have these same mobility issues (lack of, deterioration) with my mother in a nursing home a few years ago. We pushed to get more PT for her........and then realized that she had little idea of when/if she was safe. She frequently would fall trying to get herself out of bed, out of a chair.....because she thought she could do it, or remembered having done this. However, she was not "safe" on her own two feet or with a walker.......hence suffered several injuries which no one could have prevented unless she was being monitored 1:1 on a 24 hour basis. Like a toddler, you could not turn your back on her and know that she would not "try" to ambulate. The state ombudsman does not have "teeth" to address these nursing home situations on all states (so we sadly found out). The state health dept did investigate our complaints, but their back log is such that the "investigation" for a non-life threatening situation was completed 18 months after the complaints were filed.....and a few months after mother's funeral. It is very difficult to see the deterioration in our family members......but sometimes what we (as family want) is not what the patient wants or can safely handle. In hind sight (which is often clearer than what is ahead).....it was difficult to watch the deterioration......but I would have been more considerate of my mother's abilities and natural decline.......and less interested in what "we" wanted for her. Mental state (ability to reason and understand as well as dementia possibilities) physical stamina and drive, energy. Mother was in a wheelchair for the last 24 months of her lfe, unable to do transfers from bed/chair or chair/toilet alone. She did have contractures of leg muscles as a result of this......but she NEVER had bedsores, tissue breakdown. She was up every day in her chair, dressed, bathed, clean and dry....at meals, at activities (which she may or may not have understood).....she was around people. The nursing home staff was caring and attentive.......but no matter what was done......who did it......or how often.....she was not going to go shopping at the mall or fix sunday dinner for the family. She did those things for us in the past......and we had to learn to accept her time to be a spectator and watch her world and accept loving care and stop the pushing/working/pain of every day activity. Perhaps this is too blunt for some folks.....but having been there, done that....I hope my children will accept my own decline with more ease and less guilt. Rita ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn