Mom with degenerative disk disease

Hi everyone. I hope you can provide some insight for my poor mom.

My 70-year-old mother was recently diagnosed with severe degenerative disk disease. They took x-rays after she fell while hiking. The report states there is complete obliteration of L4-L5 space, very narrowed L3-L4 and L5-S1 is nearly completely obliterated. Large osteophytes at L3/L4. The rest of her spine is nearly normally maintained.

We are trying to find non-surgical treatments and wondering if anyone had any advice. We got her a lumbar back brace, walker and are waiting for physical therapy but they cannot get her in until 12/30! We found some stretched off youtube. She is on flexerel and prednisone. We are giving her massages, epsom salt compresses along supplementing hyaloronic acid, collagen, glucosamine, etc.

We know several people who have had back surgery and fusions. One still has to get injections after the doctors told him there was nothing more they could do for him. Another woman is in a wheelchair. My mom is/was a very active woman and this is just a downer for all of us.

Thanks to anyone for you help. Much appreciated.

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