Unhealing broken femur

[I am reposting this here because I posted in wrong forum minutes ago.]  My aunt is 85 and has not walked in over 7 years (due to never getting knee replacement surgery).  Her health history includes:  January 2008 - mild stroke, July 2010 - hospitalized and diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, September 2010 - fell out of wheelchair and broke femur.  Because of the CHF, she was not a candidate for surgery so the femur couldn't be set.  It is now March 2011, she has been bedridden since September, receiving x-rays every two weeks, and as of last week the orthopedist reports that the bone has not healed at all, and in fact, it looks worse than the original break.  My aunt doesn't appear to be in pain anymore (logically that would indicate that the bone has healed at least SOME), and outwardly she seems fine.  She is legally blind (macular degeneration), but she can feed herself, brush her teeth if someone holds a bowl under her mouth, and carry on a conversation.  Recently, however, hospice came in and evaluated her and approved her for hospice care.  This means they expect her to live nine months or less, they said.  The orthopedist also said that elderly people often die from broken bones such as this.  My question is why?  Other than the broken bone that refuses to heal, and the CHF which seems to be controlled now with medication, why do they think she is near end of life?  Isn't it possible that she can live in this condition for another ten years?  Please help me understand the connection between the unhealing broken bone and possible death.  Thank you so much.

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

As she is a past patient of stroke and she is having cardiac issues such as Congestive heart failure the chances of deep vein thrombosis are more with surgery.

Age is not on her side for a normal natural bone healing.

Nothing much can be done for surgery but continuing conservative treatment to help her in fracture healing is the best option. Take a second opinion. Talk with an orthopedician and discuss all methods of bone growth stimulation and possible pros and cons of surgical correction at her age.

Hospice care does not mean that she is nearing death. Her age and medical history really suggests that she should be given care and support more than any other elderly person her age without medical history.

Take care!