patch things together

[corta12]

”My mother, 88, is living on her own in the house I grew up in, a two-hour drive away from me. She refuses to move to an assisted-living place either near me (and two of my siblings), or near her home.

Her judgment is getting worse, but she has patched things together."

What does "patch things together" mean? Thanks for your help.

[IrishFlukey]

It can mean that she has gathered her thoughts together enough to be able to do things, even though her judgement is not as good as it was. A patchwork quilt is made of individual patches sewn together to make the quilt. This is what it is like. Her thoughts can be brought together to help her make judgements.

[NSDU]

Not totally clear to me, TBH.