Dear Ebbie, I'm with all of the people who suggest that you help her move to a more accessible place closer to her family in Oregon. This is Art's wife, Jenn.

A couple of things I wanted to mention from my perspective as an OT who has helped rehab people with hip replacements: Does she have equipment in her home to help her deal with the not-too-great hip joints, like a high toilet seat, a bench to let her slide over the bath tub for her shower, and long handled gadgetry to keep her from straining the joints when putting clothes over her feet?

I'll bet this next one will be a little sensitive, but. In New Mexico, there's a program to get a stipend for a family member to assist a person with a disability. Do you think an arrangement like that would improve the situation of her needing dependable help? If she were to stay in her current home, could the step entrances be ramped?

I hope this can be resolved without your having to leave the life you love in Alaska. Good wishes to you, and to her.